


and i hate accidents (except for when we went from friends to this)

by miloventimiglias



Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2020-12-24 20:10:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 127,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21105311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miloventimiglias/pseuds/miloventimiglias
Summary: Flash forward to 2019, almost 3 years after the final four words. Post-AYITL.Two years later, Rory and Jess have developed an incredibly close bond, despite any remaining feelings that might still linger within the both of them. They are both also trying to figure out what will be the next step for each of them, as Rory begins her first year as an English teacher at her alma mater and Jess struggles to find inspiration for his next novel.Luke and Lorelai enjoy married life, until the subject of kids is brought up again and they are faced with some important decisions to be made. Rory and Logan also struggle to co-parent, due to their still very complicated relationship.





	1. The First One

**Author's Note:**

> hey there! so this is my first real attempt at writing a gilmore girls fic and i'm not completely confident in my habilities to do so just yet, but i thought i'd give it a try, instead of keeping it solely for my enjoyment and to try and fix what the writers broke (if i can't say this let the record state that i have never said a single bad word about the GG writers, the GG writers are my friends). anyhow, i hope you all enjoy this and i apologize in advance for the annoyingly long chapters!  
any kind of feedback is appreciated, so let me know what you think in the comments! (just don't be /too/ mean, i'm sensitive)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory has her first day as an English teacher at Chilton and Jess swings by Stars Hollow for an impromptu visit.

Rory strides into the building and takes a look around at the place she spent three of the most important years of her life, thinking about how absolutely terrifying everything seemed back then and how small she felt walking down those hallways. Now, even though she's determinedly trying take on this new career path, that familiar fear still manages to creep up on her a little.

Rory won't let it set her back, though. Instead of letting that fear get the best of her, she just knocks softly on the door of Headmaster Charleston's office and with a deep breath, Rory goes in.

"Miss Gilmore, good morning" The man greets her, sitting regally behind his desk as usual, like no time has passed since their first meeting in this office, over a decade ago. "How are you today?"

"Good morning, Headmaster Charleston" Rory says with a smile and takes a seat, "I'm... good. How are you, sir?"

"I'm very well, thank you. So, are you ready for your first day as an English teacher?" His tone is casual and pleasant but that question feels loaded. _Am I? Ready?_ Rory asks herself. She doesn't know how to answer that. Is she prepared? Yes, highly. But ready is another story.

"I hope so" She chuckles, trying to play it cool but the headmaster doesn't seem to find her attempt at a joke amusing, given that he just frowns at her. "I mean... I am. I definitely am", Rory adds quickly, straightening up her posture.

His expression softens. "It's okay to feel nervous, Miss Gilmore. I understand that teaching your first class in a school like this one must be somewhat unnerving", Charleston says with a kind smile and Rory lets out a deep sigh.

"Well, I am little nervous, but I'm prepared. I just..."

"You just... what?"

"I'm afraid I won't be able to get the students' respect. All the teachers that have come to teach at this school had years of experience and I... don't" Rory blurts out, feeling like a weight has been lifted from her shoulders as she finally admits that aloud. "Besides, I haven't interacted with teenagers since I was one! What if I can't... connect with them?"

"Those are all perfectly fine concerns, but I don't think you have anything to be afraid of" He assures her. "You have earned your position in this institution and what you lack in teaching experience, you make up for with your _personal_ experience. You have been where they are, in this exact school. Times may have changed with these new... smartphones, tablets and fidget whatever-they're-called, but Chilton, however, has not. Of course, there have been renovations here and there but..."

Hearing those words is exactly what Rory needs. The way the headmaster said them, so wisely, makes her think of her Grandpa, too. She wonders if he knows that she's about to become a teacher and what would he think about that if he was still around. Rory likes to think he would be proud of her, because she wants him to be, but there's really no knowing that, is there?

"Thank you, this means a lot" She says, her voice a little choked up. "Well, class will start soon, so I'd better go". Rory gets up, flattening the fabric on her skirt with her palms, "Thanks again, Headmaster Charleston" Rory smiles and bows her head a little.

"Call me Hanlin", he replies, smiling back and Rory quirks up an eyebrow.

"Really?" She checks and the man nods. "Well, goodbye Hanlin", Rory tries but as soon as that comes out of her mouth, it feels wrong. Like she's her grandmother all of her sudden. "Sorry, I don't think–"

"It's alright" Headmaster Charleston waves a hand at her dismissively, "Give it time, maybe you'll get used to it", he adds humorously.

Rory laughs but doesn't say anything else, raising her hand as to say 'bye' before she leaves the office. Her first class is on first period but it's still early, so the hallways are empty and the only sound that can be heard is the one of her heels against the ivory floors as she walks to the classroom.

She opens the door cautiously and sits down at the teacher's desk for the very first time, putting her bag on top of it. Rory looks at the twenty-something empty chairs in front of her, and then closes her eyes for a moment. "You got this", she says to herself out loud, and then the bell rings. It's time.

  * ••

A bunch of uniform clad students begin to enter the room and Rory gets up, smiling at each one of the new faces that come in. The classroom is finally full and Rory clears her throat to make the chatter between the teenagers die down, and then begins to introduce herself. "Morning, class. I'm Rory Gilmore and I'll be your English teacher this year", she writes Ms. Gilmore on the whiteboard in her neat handwriting before turning around to face the class, "So, any questions before we begin?"

Rory doesn't expect anyone to raise their hand, but then a blonde girl with glasses does so. "Yes?" Rory motions at her to proceed.

"Miss Gilmore, there have been some rumors going around that this is your first class ever. Is that... true?" the girl's tone is firm and her words come out more as an affirmation rather than a question.

"Um, what's your name?" Rory counters the question with another question, mainly to buy herself some time to gather her bearings for a second. So... there have been rumors spread about her already?

"Bridget Walsh, ma'am" Bridget replies, adjusting her thick-rimmed glasses.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Walsh" Rory says, with a soft smile. "And to answer your question, yes, this is my first year as a teacher, but _not_ my first year at Chilton".

"How so?" A black boy in the back raises his hand, his eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"Well, firstly, what's your name?"

"Quentin Avery, ma'am", Quentin replies.

"I'm glad you asked, Mr. Avery. What I meant by that is that I went to this school, too" There's suddenly a collective murmur within the classroom, "Yep, from my sophomore to my senior year, believe it or not, I was one of you guys".

"Yeah, like a million years ago" Someone snorts and half the class bursts out laughing. The voice came from the third row, a girl sitting by the window. She has curly red hair and red lipstick on, even though that is against the Chilton dress code (Granted, it is a very stupid rule). This girl also looks a lot like...

"Okay, settle down" Rory orders and the noise is extinguished. She then walks closer towards where the redhead is sitting. "And what's your name?"

"Annabeth Jarvis" The girl responds, crossing her arms. Annabeth gives Rory a disdainful smile that she's only seen once before. Of course. Her last name is _Jarvis_.

"Any relation to Francine Jarvis? She was in my class, you know, a million years ago" Rory pokes fun at her previous comment and the students laugh. Annabeth rests her chin over her fist and sighs.

"Actually, yes. Francie is my much older sister" She says bitterly. _Sister, huh?_ Rory wants to say, _So your parents had Francie and then still decided to try their luck again, eighteen years later?_

"Oh, what a weird coincidence" Is what Rory says instead, forcing a smile. "Um, send your sister my... regards, okay?"

Annabeth raises an eyebrow at her. "You really want me to do that? Because Francie—"

Before Annabeth can continue, another student walks into the classroom and fails to slip in unnoticed. She has her hair up in a bun and isn't wearing a tie or tights, and has a black leather jacket on instead of the blue school blazer. Those are at least three dress code violations right there, ones that would be more quote-unquote 'frowned upon' that Annabeth's red lipstick. The girl moves towards the back and before she can sit down at one of the desks, Rory stops her.

"Hey there, I think you're forgetting something here" She says to her brightly and then realizes that she sounds like talks to her two-year-old son when he forgets to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, what is probably not best approach to have with a clearly angry sixteen-year-old.

"And what is that?" The dark-haired girl asks with a scowl, putting down her beat-up leather messenger bag on the desk.

"For instance, when someone enters a classroom saying something like 'Good morning' or 'Sorry I'm late' is expected" Rory responds firmly, folding her arms over her chest.

"I'm not great at living up to expectations, so it seems we're in bit of an impasse here" The girl sinks back into the chair and shrugs lazily. The students begin to whisper to each other.

"God, Alex, could you be any ruder?" Bridget from before says, turning around in her chair, her face flushed.

"Why, yes, Bridget, I could" Alex retorts and before that little heated interaction escalates, Rory intervenes.

"All right, that's enough" She says to the two girls. Bridget huffs angrily and turns away. Alex mocks the blonde's display of frustration and mutters something under her breath that Rory can't quite make out, but is certain that it wasn't tasteful.

"Alex, is it? Since it's the first day I'll tolerate the attitude and I won't write you up for being late, but this is the first and last time, okay?" Rory tells her and then directs herself at the others, "And this goes to all of you. I will do my best to have the best influence on your education and your lives, but you have to cooperate as well. Are we clear?" The entire class is suddenly silent. A few nod, others say 'yes' quietly, but Alex just rolls her eyes. Rory decides to ignore that. "Good. Now let's get into what's important, shall we?"

Rory returns to the front of the classroom and when her back is turned from the students, she can't help but smirk proudly at herself for not only handling her first two class disruptions, but doing so without panicking or immediately feeling like she wants to quit. Maybe this is not just a backup plan for her.

"So, let's begin. Everyone's got their copy of The Grapes of Wrath?" She inquires and all the students promptly starts to take out the book from their backpacks, except for Alex, in the far back. Instead of picking up her copy Steinbeck's novel, she's nose deep into Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms, scribbling on the margins.

That reminds Rory of someone else she knows and for some reason that makes the corners of her mouth quirk up. She doesn't say anything to the girl just yet and hopes to talk to her after class.

On the right wing of the classroom, Francie 2.0 has also neglected to pick up the book she was assigned to and is applying another coat of red lipstick and puckering her lips at the tiny mirror she is holding up.

Oh, boy. This is bound to be one… _interesting_ year.

  * ••

By the end of the school day, Rory is generally happy with how things turned out. After that not-so-great start, she was able to really get through to the class, even with a couple of exceptions, the odds of her succeeding at this teaching thing aren't looking too bad. Headmaster Charleston, her mother, Lane, Jess and everyone in her life who said she would be a natural at this seem to might have been right all along.

The only thing that bothers her, however, is how the bell rang and before she could speak to Alex, the girl was long gone. But there's still a full week ahead of them to do that. Rory and Miss Jessica Mariano would chat, whether Alex liked it or not.

At the end of the day, Rory heads to the parking lot, but before she can get to her car, her phone starts to buzz in her coat pocket. It's her mother calling. "Hey Mom, what's up?" Rory answers, holding the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she searches blindly for the car keys.

"Hey hon! So how was your first day?" Lorelai asks with great enthusiasm.

"It was mostly good. Surprisingly so, actually", the daughter replies as she enters her car, leaning back onto the seat, "The first class was a bit tricky at first and I have a couple of students that are a bit difficult, but I'll figure it out".

Lorelai winces audibly. "Difficult how?"

"For starters, Evil Francie's little sister is in my class. Her name is Annabeth".

"No!" Her mother gasps, "So let me get this straight, her parents had her and then bet on their luck again? Wow."

"That's what I thought!"

"And who is the other student? Please tell me you don't have a Francie _and_ a Paris. I've grown to love her now, but she was kind of a monster when you guys were kids.”

"No, not a Paris, but I've got a _Jess_.”

"A Jess?" Lorelai checks, sounding confused.

"Yep" Rory affirms, "She got to class late, violated the dress code and then sat there reading another book — a Hemingway novel! — instead of the one we're studying in class. And she even writes on the margins!"

"No way!" Lorelai exclaims, incredulous. "Oh, you poor thing. These two seem like one handful, Rory".

"I know, but I'm not worried. It was only the first day. I still have a whole year of possibilities ahead, more than enough time for me to try and make things better, right?” Rory says with genuine hope.

"I'm sure of that, hon" Lorelai agrees easily.

"So how was Richie? Was he okay with my not being there? This is the first time I've been away from him for more than a couple of hours!"

"Oh, I don't think he even noticed you were gone" Her mother jokes and Rory forces out a laugh, "But seriously now, he was fine and he is fine. You'll see when you get here".

"Okay, good. And Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"I can do this, right?"

"Do what, sweets?"

"Everything. This job, the whole 'juggling motherhood and work' thing" Rory sighs heavily and her lip quivers, "I'm... I'm not you. Sometimes I'm afraid I just can't do it all, y'know?"

"Rory, your grandfather once said that what _you_ tackle, you _conquer_. You can do it all. You _are_ doing it all!" Lorelai assures her and tears start to stream down Rory’s face. The myriad of emotions she kept in check all day seem to be catching up with her. Rory sniffles and then laughs, wiping her eyes with a tissue.

"Hon? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah" Rory says, "Guess I'm just overwhelmed. It's been a long day. But thank you for saying that, Mom, I really needed to hear it".

"Hey, anytime. You don't need to put on a brave face all the time. It's okay to feel scared sometimes, but just know I got your back, okay? We all do".

"I know" Rory sniffles again and smiles. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Drive carefully! Those Hartford drivers are crazy", Lorelai tells her, "Okay... I'll let you go. Bye, sweets"

"Bye, Mom. Love you."

"Love you, too. See you soon ", Lorelai ends the call and Rory sighs, turning on the ignition to drive away.

There's not much traffic heading back to Stars Hollow, which allows Rory to get there in less than 30 minutes. Although, driving home from Hartford isn't like taking the bus, because then Rory would be deep into a nice book and wouldn't even feel the drive until they finally got to her stop. Now she has to concentrate on the people driving like maniacs on the freeway, the bad music on the radio and on how just incredibly tired she is.

Rory finally pulls up at the driveway and as soon as she hops out of the car, Rory sees _him_. Jess is leaning against Luke's green truck and smirks at the sight of her.

"Hey, Miss Gilmore", he greets her teasingly and she practically runs up to hug him. He catches her in his arms and spins her around, making them both laugh.

"Jess! What are you doing here?" Rory asks as he puts her down, still a little shaken up from the surprise. "Aren't you supposed to be in Hawaii or something right now?"

"I was, but then the writer I was supposed to meet there had to visit a family member in the Philippines, so he cancelled, leaving me some free time to stop by" He explains and the two begin to walk back to the house.

"Aw, it's a bummer about the author, but I'm really glad you're here" Rory says, opening the door, "Richie will freak when he sees you, he loves it when you visit!"

"He does?"

"Oh, yeah. He really likes you, _Chess_" She nods, imitating the way her son says Jess' name because he can't quite pronounce his J's just yet.

Jess looks genuinely touched by that. "Well, he should know the feeling is mutual", he tells her.

"Mom! I'm home!" Rory announces as she takes off her coat in the foyer. Jess does the same and they move into the living room.

Tiny footsteps are heard, followed by some big ones and Richie appears running with his little arms up and Lorelai is right behind him. He has his favorite red cape and a king's crown on, matching Lorelai's regal cloak made out of a sheet and fur-lined tiara. 

"Mommy!" He yells out and Rory picks him up, wrapping her arms around him like they haven't seen each other in days. "Chess!" Richie exclaims when Rory lets go of him a little and he finally sees Jess standing next to his mother.

"Hey buddy, how you doing?" Jess raises his hand up to give Richie a high-five and messes up his blond hair a little, smiling.

"Jess!" Lorelai exclaims and moves over to give him a hug. "Not that it's not good to see you, kid, but... were we expecting you?"

"Not really, my plans for this week got cancelled so I thought I'd drive up here to see everyone" He says with a shrug, "Also, liking the look you have here, _milady_" Jess teases and Lorelai curtsies theatrically.

"Why, thank you, kind sir. I am the queen of _cheese_" She shoots up her eyebrows at him, with an impish smile on her face, "Isn't that right, Richie?" Lorelai turns to her grandson, who claps his hands together. "Yes!"

"Okay, this is so weird" Rory says, eyeing both her mother and Jess warily.

"What is?" They ask in unison.

"You two getting along. I mean, it's about dang time but... It's still weird".

"Who said we get along? I can't stand her" Jess motions over at Lorelai, who immediately picks up on the bit he's trying to start here.

"Oh, yeah and I hate his... Sorry, I can't do it. I genuinely can't say a single bad word about you anymore!" Lorelai says to Jess, sounding almost disappointed.

"You see?" Rory turns to Richie in a baby voice and then over at the two, still using the same tone, "_Weeeird_!"

"Okay, why don't you two hang back, sit down and I'll get us some adult beverages" Lorelai says decisively and before Jess or Rory can even respond, she is already on her way to the kitchen.

"Doesn't she know that beer_ isn't_ a curse word?" Jess questions and Rory just shrugs.

"I've stopped trying to understand that one a long time ago, you shouldn't bother starting now" She tells him knowingly.

Rory puts Richie on the couch and plops down beside him. Jess sits next to Rory and stretches out his arms with a yawn. "You tired?" Rory asks him with a half-smirk.

"Yeah, I think the drive might've worn me out a bit" Jess says, "But tell me! How was your first day, teach?"

"You remembered?" She checks, a little surprised and he nods. Rory told Jess about when her first day of teaching would be _weeks_ ago, and yet, he still recalled it. That brings a little smile to her face.

"I remember everything" He says to her smugly and Rory nudges his arm, still smiling.

"Okay, then do you remember Francie? From Chilton?"

"Francie..." Jess rubs his chin, pretending to be actually struggling to remember. "You mean Evil Francie? Red hair? Told me I had a nice ass when I went to pick you up from school that one time?"

Rory gasps then laughs, "I don't even remember that! Did she really compliment your butt? Seriously?"

"Hey, it's a nice butt!" He protests and that only makes Rory laugh even harder.

"Never said it wasn't" She raises her hand in mock-surrender and Jess smirks, "But that..." Rory suddenly stops herself so she won't say a bad word around her son, even if he is probably too distracted playing with his train set to even listen to the conversation. "Bench! She knew you were my—"

_Boyfriend_. Rory is about to say the word 'boyfriend', but suddenly, she stops herself. Saying that word – or almost saying it – makes her think about the first time she called Jess her boyfriend. It's kind of a bittersweet memory, mostly sweet, but it makes her miss that feeling and those _firsts_.

First kisses, first dates... It's been forever since called anyone her boyfriend or went out on date, really. She is thirty-four and should be in her prime (at least according to the latest issue of Paris' women's health online magazine), but instead of being 'out there', she has put all her energy and time into Richie and getting her Masters for the past two years. Not that this hasn't been great for her, but a girl needs romance! Rory misses it.

"Rory? You okay?" Jess calls, putting a hand to her shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just thought of something but I don't know if it's okay for me to talk to _you_ about it" She grimaces and Jess rolls his eyes.

"Come on, you know you can talk to me about anything!" He insists, "What is it?"

Rory exhales heavily. "Okay. The thing is... I miss _dating_. Getting all dressed up, going out and just... having fun. It's been a long time since I've had that" She tells him, "And I hate to admit it, but I miss it" Rory adds in an abashed tone, avoiding his gaze.

"Hey, that's perfectly normal" Jess says sagely, "Your life has revolved around being the best mother possible to this little guy" He points to Richie, who seems to be now, for some reason, mesmerized by the laxative commercial that's on TV, "And your job. But Rory, and don't take it this the wrong way, you're a hopeless romantic".

"I wouldn't say I'm a_ hopeless_ romantic, but thanks Jess" Rory smiles at him genuinely. How is it that he always seems to know exactly what to say?

"And you should, you know" Jess sinks back on the couch, crossing one leg over the other.

"Should what?" Rory asks confusedly.

"Date! Get back out there" He tells her, "I'm pretty sure that will be guys lining up outside if there's even a slight chance that they might get to go out with you".

Rory feels her face get hot when he says that and knows she's surely blushing like a teenager. "You really mean that?"

"Have I ever lied to you?"

"Yes, _numerous_ times" She teases, an eyebrow quirking up.

Jess concedes, chuckling softly. "Okay, have I ever lied to you in the past decade?" He corrects himself and Rory bows her head a little, smiling at him.

"No" Rory replies simply.

"Exactly" Jess says, matching her smile, "So, there's no reason for you to not believe me".

"I guess" Rory shrugs her shoulders, "Enough about me. Speaking of dating, how is Victoria?" 

"Ah" Jess slaps a hand over his leg and exhales sharply, "I think we're gonna need that beer if you really want to get into that. Where is your mother, by the way?" 

"You're right, she's been gone forever" Rory frowns, "Mom! Are you there?!", she calls after her.

No response. "Huh, that's strange" Jess says, "Do you think she was taken on her way to the fridge?”

Before Rory can get up to check if Lorelai is still in the kitchen for some reason, her phone buzzes on top of the coffee table. "It's a text... from my mom" She picks it up and reads the message aloud, "We didn't have beer, sad emoji... Had to go on a Doose's run, might stop by the diner to say hi to the hubs, couple kissing emoji and a bunch of breakfast food emojis. Unbelievable!”

"Do you think she went out with that sheet wrapped around her and the tiara?" Jess asks and Rory snorts. 

"I don't doubt it" She tells him, "But if she's stopping by the diner, it means we won't drink that beer until Luke's closes and I don't know about you, but I could really use a beer _now_ and besides, I want to hear about you and Victoria!" 

"Oh, not so fast, ma'am. You still haven't finished telling me about your first day! You have to earn my pouring my heart out to you about my relationship" Jess says, pointing a finger at her. 

"Wait, I think we have some old french champagne in the garage! It might be expired and it might be disgusting, but it's alcohol" She rises to her feet determinedly, her hands on her hips. 

"In the garage? With the bats?" Jess frowns at her as he gets up. Rory has kicked of her heels, so now the height difference between the two is noticeable.

"We don't have bats" Rory gives him a dubious look, that quickly turns into a concerned one, "Wait, we have _bats_?!"

"You live here! How do you not know if you have bats or not?" 

"We have bats!?" Richie finally pays them mind, turning away from the TV, with a terrified look on his little face. 

"Jess! Why would you say we have bats?"

“No, no, you definitely don't have bats” Jess turns to Richie, a little flustered for having scared him, “I was just making a joke, okay, bud?”

“Oh, okay” Is all Richie says in response before going back to completely ignoring them.

“Bats or no bats” Rory whispers to Jess, “You in to check out that old champagne?”

“Are you seriously willing to risk going? Rory, you have a _child_” Jess whispers back gravely as a joke.

“I live on the edge” She shrugs, “Richie, honey, we’ll go to the garage and we’ll be right back!” Rory says to her son.

“Okay” He replies, not even looking away from the TV.

“Well, guess that's all I get” Rory claps her hands together, after being ignored by her two-year-old and turns to Jess again as she puts her shoes back on, “Come on, pretty, let's get that old, disgusting champagne” She says, interlocking their arms together before they march out of the house.

  * ••

The garage is dark and dusty, which makes Jess sneeze repeatedly. “God, how long has it been since you cleaned this place?” He shines up the flashlight on his phone to Rory's face.

“I don't know,” Rory frowns, squinting as the light hits her eyes, “But probably not anytime in this decade”.

She walks over to the other side of the room and finds an old mini-fridge from her college days. Rory opens it and there it is! The bottle of champagne her parents brought home from France, eleven years ago. The thought of their short-lived marriage makes Rory shudder a little. “Found it!” Rory announces triumphantly, but Jess doesn't respond.

Rory turns her flashlight to where he is standing and Jess looks stumped, staring at one of the boxes. “Jess?” Rory calls, moving closer towards him.

“Rory, why do you have a box with my name in it?” He asks, turning to her. _Oh no_. Not her Jess box.

“Oh, about that…” She grimaces, then sighs, “That is my… ex-boyfriend box for you. Obviously, you were never supposed to see it but I didn't know I would ever be in my garage, with you, looking for this thing” Rory holds up the bottle of champagne and an awkward laugh leaves her throat, “Are you mad?”

“No, of course I’m not mad” Jess assures her, “Just surprised, I guess. I didn't think I would _get_ an ex-boyfriend box, is all”.

“And why is that?”

He sighs. “Do you really want me to say it?”

“Out of your boyfriends, and let's be honest here, I’m probably the only one you wouldn't need a box for. Well, aside from Pete—”

“Paul” Rory corrects him, just out of habit.

“All I’m saying is that I didn't think you thought our relationship had enough impact that you would need a ‘Jess’ box” He says and Rory almost drops the champagne, then puts it down, because she cannot believe the words that are coming out of his mouth. ‘Didn't have enough impact’?

“No offense, but that must be the stupidest thing you have ever said” She tells him and Jess blinks, surprised by the sudden harshness of her tone.

“Excuse me?”

“Why would you think that our relationship wouldn't have ‘enough impact’ to get a box? Didn't it impact you?”

He clenches his jaw, his eyes darting away from her for a second. “You know it did, Rory” Jess mutters softly.

“So why wouldn't it impact me?” Rory raises her voice, “After all these years, you really think that us… That what we had… didn't affect me at all?”

“That's not what I’m saying—”

Before he can say anything else, Rory rips the tape off the Jess box, and begins to take the contents out of it. “Here is the jacket you lent me on our first date and I never gave back” She throws it at him angrily and continues to rummage through the box, “Here are the movie tickets, the concert tickets…” Rory throws those at him too and when she’s about to take a plastic box with pictures in it out, Jess stops her.

“Rory” He grabs her wrist lightly and then lets go. She drops her arms to her sides and sniffles.

“I’m sorry” Jess says to her in the dark, “I didn't know”, he adds.

A beat of silence. “It's fine” Rory says, blowing a strand of hair out of her face, “I just… I would hate for you to think that would didn’t impact my life, Jess, because you did. You still do.” She sighs. “You're… kind of my best friend, you know?”

Even though he knows she can't see it, Jess smirks. “Yeah, well, you're kind of my best friend too” He admits, burying his hands in his pockets.

“Uh, guess I should probably put all of this back” Rory breathes, pointing her phone’s flashlight at the items she threw at Jess and that are now on the floor, “Unless… you want to keep these?”

“No,” Jess says and crouches down to help her clean up, “I already have my own ‘Jess and Rory: the early years’ box.”

“You do?” She checks and he nods. “Any chance you’ll ever let me see it?”

“Ah, we’ll see” Jess replies as he hands Rory back his old jacket, that probably wouldn't even fit him anymore. They don't say anything else, but both of them know they're okay again.

Rory grabs the champagne and the two head back to the house. When they return, they find Richie asleep on the couch, snoring softly. Jess and Rory move quietly to not wake him up, and she takes Richie into her arms, taking him back to her old bedroom, where they’ve been sleeping. She puts him in his bed and as she watches how crammed the room is, Rory realizes it's time for her to move out. Yeah.

“He’s out like a light” Rory says as she walks back into the living room, and Jess is sitting on the couch with his eyes closed. “And so are you, apparently”.

“I’m not sleeping, just resting” He says, opening his eyes. Rory sinks into the couch beside him.

“And when did you become an octogenarian?”

“Ha, ha” Jess deadpans, turning his head over at her.

“Are we really going to drink that?” Rory asks, pointing at the bottle of champagne sitting on the coffee table with her foot.

“I think unless we're both planning on best case scenario, being really sick or, worst case scenario, dying tonight, I don't think we should”.

Rory yawns and then shifts her body in Jess’ direction, resting her head on her hand, her fingers entangled in her hair. “Are you going to tell me about Victoria?” She asks and Jess looks down at his shoes, then over at her.

“It's complicated” Jess says, “She's not very happy with me, because I have written much of anything lately and that's been… affecting our relationship as well” He laughs humorlessly, “Guess that's what you get when you start dating your editor, huh?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Jess” Rory says to him kindly, “I’m sure you guys you’ll figure it out, though”.

“She told me I should come here, that all my inspiration comes from this place and—” Jess stops himself and remembers Victoria’s exact words to him.

_She is still your main source of inspiration, whether you ever admit it or not_, his girlfriend had said about Rory and Jess told her she was wrong, that it was nothing like that. But deep inside, even if he doesn't want to go _that _road again, he knows it's true. It always comes back to Rory.

“And what?” Rory questions.

“Nothing, I… just really don't want to get into it, okay?” He says, and there goes the thing about him never lying to her. But Jess is sure that is for the best, because some things are better left unsaid. The last thing he wants is to make things weird between them. “Now, it's your turn. Tell me about your first day”.

“Oh, you're never going to believe it!” Rory says with great enthusiasm.

Then she begins to tell him everything, from her meeting with Headmaster Charleston, Francie’s little sister, to the student who talks back, reads Hemingway and writes on the margins. Jess is thoroughly amused, listening to Rory talk about her day and he likes the feeling he has in that moment. Just a couple of old friends, sitting together and catching up. Because that's what they are. Old friends. _Great_ friends. And there is no reason for his confusion, or anything else, to ever jeopardize that.

They continue to talk and talk, until, tired as they are, the two fall asleep. Rory's head drops onto the curve of Jess shoulder, as she hugs his arm with both of hers. They're both so fast asleep, that they don't even hear Lorelai and Luke coming home.

“Luke” Lorelai nudges her husband quietly, pointing at Rory and Jess asleep on the couch as they walk into the living room.

Luke sees them and with a slight smirk on his face, he turns to Lorelai, extending a hand to her. “Pay up?” He whispers, to not wake the two, an eyebrow shooting up at his wife.

Lorelai looks over at her daughter and Jess again, and clicks her tongue. “Not yet” She whispers back.


	2. The One Where Rory Is Fine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jess returns to Philadelphia and makes an important decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone! so sorry it's taken me so long to upload a new chapter, but i had been struggling a lot with the right way to continue the story and i've written and rewritten several versions of this one, even though nothing much happens in it. well, i hope you like it and that it's not too long? i apologize in advance if that's the case! let me know what you think in the comments, it makes all the difference! that's about it for now, enjoy your read <3

When he finds himself stuck in traffic going down I-95, Jess wishes he’d just booked a flight to Hartford instead of driving all the way to Stars Hollow, but truth be told, he wasn’t exactly thinking clearly when he decided on the impromptu visit. After the fight he and Victoria had, when the meeting with the writer in Hawaii fell through, Jess felt like he needed to go somewhere and clear his head, so before he knew it, he was in his car, headed towards the Hollow.

It had been a while since he stopped by, with things being so busy at Truncheon, since, apparently, everyone – even the ones who don’t really have a story to tell – has been trying their luck as an author these days, so the amount of book drafts that have been coming in have been outright _insane_. That almost makes Jess miss the old times, when the press was still just a smelly, crammed little room and the writers that came in were few, but of those, at least four out of five had some potential. Now, they have dozens of manuscripts to look through and when it comes down to it, only two or three are probably worth publishing.

Yet, sometimes, even the cheesiest, most uninspired novels are put in the ‘to be published’ pile, because as painful as they may be for _them_ to read, those books still sell and account for the most of Truncheon’s yearly revenue and the cash that comes in means being able to keep the press running and money in their pockets, meaning they don’t have much of a choice in the matter, even if it would be much more satisfying work if they got to only get the stories they actually think are worth telling out there.

However, Jess hasn’t gotten to read many manuscripts lately. After the expansion and the new people came in, his main job is to meet new authors outside of Philly, in other states and sometimes even in other countries. If they read about someone who seems interesting and that could be a nice addition to their list of writers, then Jess is the guy who usually goes to meet said person and to seal the deal. At first, he wasn’t so fond of that kind of work because dealing with people hasn’t always been his forte, but then he actually grew to like it. It’s fun to travel and to see new places. Even helping out with book tours, that is by far the most demanding part, is kind of fun. So, Jess really does enjoy what he does, even if that means way too much time on the road and not enough at home, at Truncheon.

Jess published two other books after _The Subsect_, but none of them ever made it into the New York Times’ best-sellers, which doesn’t bother him since it has never been his dream to be a critically acclaimed author. Writing for him is what therapy is for most people, just a way for him to sort through his thoughts and deal with the good and the bad in his life, and not something he likes to get too into his own head about. People have been constantly telling him to raise the bar, that he has what it takes to do more, but Jess doesn’t feel that way. Let’s say he does it and tries to take his writing more seriously and to profit from it. He’ll either succeed and become a big-shot writer or he’ll lose the one thing that has been keeping him grounded for as long as he can remember, and since the odds of the first possibility happening are one in a million, that is just a risk Jess is not willing to take.

Or wasn’t, at least, not up until he met Victoria. She’s an editor for Simon & Schuster and the reason they met is because, somehow, Victoria got ahold of his novels and tracked him down at Truncheon about two years ago. He told her that he wasn’t interested in signing with a big publisher because he already worked at a publishing house and was fine with how things turned out for him career-wise, but she would not take no for an answer.

** _August 2017, Philadelphia – PA_ **

_“Listen, I appreciate you coming down here, I’m flattered, really, but I’m not looking for a publisher” Jess says, putting down the manuscript he’s been trying to read for the past two days on his desk, “Also, as you can see, I am a publisher and I work at a publishing house, so I don’t need one either”._

_Victoria lets out a derisive laugh. “See, that’s cute. This place… is _cute_. But you’re great” She points a finger at him as she says that, “I happen to think that you and your writing deserve _more,_ and I don’t say this lightly. You don’t know this about me yet, but rare are the times when I choose to take a chance on someone like this. I have hundreds of manuscripts come in and I have to be able to tell apart the bad from the okay, the okay from the good and the good from the great. You’re one of the greats, Jess, and it’s sad that you’re wasting your time—”_

_“I am not wasting my time!” He cuts in, not so willing to hear her out anymore, “And what gives you the right to come in here and insult this this place? Just because we’re not a big publisher like HarperCollins or wherever the hell you work for?”_

_ “Actually, it’s at Simon & Schuster—”_

_“It doesn’t matter, okay? The work we do here, unlike what you may think, it’s serious work. And you have no idea what this place means to me, so you _really_ don’t know what you’re talking about” Jess lets out an exasperated sigh and then lowers his voice again, “I think you should go. Again, I appreciate the intent and thank you, but no, thank you”. _

_Victoria inhales sharply, rising to her feet and does the single button on her black blazer. “For someone with a mind like yours, you sure are shortsighted, aren’t you?” She scoffs, “Can’t you see that your love for his place is clouding your judgement and stopping you from moving further?” _

_A beat of silence. Her words almost stump him. Almost. “Goodbye, Victoria” Jess says, “You can show yourself out, can’t you? Since you clearly had no problem just waltzing right in”_

_“Yeah, okay. But you know I’m right” Victoria responds simply, turning to leave, “You have my card for when you change your mind. Don’t let your stubbornness hold you back from doing so. Even the greats need to learn how to get over themselves every once in a while” She tells him over her shoulder, with a slight smirk._

_“You really are persistent, I’ll give you that” Jess replies and the blonde nods her head, looking down at her shoes for a second. _

_“Oh, you have no idea” She says, her eyes darting over at Jess before she disappears into the hallway and at that moment, Jess knows that this won’t be the last time he’ll hear from her._

That talk with Victoria really struck a chord with Jess. He wondered if he actually had been self-sabotaging this whole time, just because he was scared of wanting more and maybe he was. No one – except for Luke and Rory – ever put any faith on him before, so why should he? Jess spends so much of his time trying to encourage people to do more, to do better, but he couldn’t do it for himself. That is why he was so taken with Victoria, because even if her approach was harsh, she still believed in him and his potential, she always has, but maybe her expectations for him have become too unrealistic for Jess to live up to.

Someone honks at Jess to move because the traffic has finally started to flow again, putting an end to his contemplative moment right on time. He steps on the accelerator and tries to focus on just getting back to Philadelphia, because he can’t avoid Victoria or trying to resolve the same fight they’ve been having since the day they met forever.

  * ••

After the traffic dissipates a little, Jess manages to get back to Philadelphia in about an hour. He parks his black Chevelle in front of his apartment building and exits the car, taking the duffel bag that's sitting on the passenger seat with him. Inhaling deeply, knowing what probably awaits him inside – a sequel to his and Victoria's same old fight –, Jess straps the bag to his shoulder and steps into the building.

At the entrance, Phil, the doorman, is asleep at the front desk, snoring loudly. Jess moves quietly not to wake him, since he knows that he must need the rest, considering he has five small children that most likely kept him up all night. Looking at people like poor Phil, Jess finds himself being almost grateful for not having kids of his own yet. He gets on the elevator and elbows the button to his floor. A few seconds later, the metal doors slide open with a ding. The motion-sensing lights in the hallway turn on as soon as Jess hops out of the elevator and he walks to his apartment, that is just down the hall.

When Jess reaches for the knob, the door suddenly opens, and Victoria is standing there, barefoot and only wearing one of his old t–shirts. Victoria has green eyes, soft features and a heart-shaped face, that is framed by long, blonde hair. “You're back” She says in lieu of a greeting, looking almost surprised by his being there.

“Well, I think it was implied that I would come back when I left” Jess says as Victoria makes way for him to come inside. “How did you know I was at the door, by the way?”

“I know _that_, I just thought you were staying longer, and I recognize your footsteps. Can't you distinguish my footsteps from Larry’s at 4E? Wait, don't answer that” She rambles and before Jess can say anything, Victoria cuts in, running a nervous hand through her hair. “Listen, can we not do this?”

“Do what?”

“_This_, this walking on eggshells around each other and over analyzing every word either of us says. We had a fight, you left and now here we are” Victoria says firmly, crossing her arms, “So… let’s talk.”

Jess moves to put his bag down on the couch and then turns back to face her, letting out a sigh. “Okay, let’s talk”.

“Well, okay. First of all, what you did sucks. You acted like a child and you left without saying goodbye, which led me to momentary insanity, when I accepted my mother's invite to visit her at her new beach house in Florida. _Florida_!”

“Woah, wait a minute. You are going to Florida to see your mother? The same woman you always refer as, and I quote, ‘that heinous bitch’ and other variants of that endearing term?” Jess asks, incredulous and Victoria folds her arms over her chest with a huff. She then turns her back on him, heading towards Jess’ bedroom without a word and he quickly follows her into the room.

When they get there, Victoria is stuffing a bunch of clothes into her suitcase, emptying her drawer in Jess’ dresser. “Yes” She says suddenly, “To answer your question, I am going to see my mother. In Florida. When I could be in New York, at my own apartment, but I can't go back to New York, because that would mean going back to work and I can't possibly do that!”

“Why not?”

“Because” Victoria lets out a heavy sigh, and closes her eyes for a second, “They're getting on my case about you. It's Simon & Schuster, Jess. I convinced them to sign you, but you're a writer and they expect you to write, and since you're not writing, to them, that will mean that I have poor judgement and only signed you because you're my boyfriend. Do you see the situation I am in here?”

A beat of silence. “Look, I’m sorry, okay? I know… I know you took a big chance on me and I’m sorry that it's affecting your job. Maybe—”

“Maybe what?”

“Maybe I should rescind my contract. Then you’d be off the hook and we wouldn't have to keep fighting about this. I mean, we should've known that this would eventually end up affecting our relationship”.

“You see, I don't think that's what's affecting our relationship. I think it's the thing that you refuse to talk about, the elephant in the room” Victoria stares at him hard, backing away from the dresser. She sits down on the edge of the bed, staring at her hands.

Jess takes a seat next to her. “What thing?” He asks, even though he already knows the answer to that question. Victoria doesn't reply. “Okay, I’ll take one guess” Jess says, “Is this about Rory?”

“I don't know, Jess, is it?” Victoria turns to him, “Look, I realize how pathetic it is of me to keep coming back to this, but can't you see where I’m coming from? You spent years thinking that she was the great love of your life, so how can I not wonder that perhaps, she's also the one person who can inspire you to do more, to write? Because I’ve tried and—”

“Hey,” Jess wraps one arm around her and pulls her closer to him, “You're not pathetic, you're the furthest thing from it. Although, you have to believe me when I say I don't have feelings for Rory anymore. She's my friend. We might have a history, but that's all that is. It's in the past. And about my writing… I don't think that's about her, or you. It's about me. I’m the one who's lacking inspiration and maybe I just haven't tried enough to find it, you know?”

Victoria smiles softly and sniffles. She really wants to believe him, and it's not that she thinks that he's lying to _her_, but Victoria can't help but wonder that he's actually lying to himself, simply because he's afraid of getting hurt again. She can't even blame him, because she knew what she was getting into when she met him but decided to bet on her being wrong just this once, instead.

“I still think you should go to Stars Hollow” Victoria tells him, and Jess just stares at her, confused. “Hear me out: You started writing your first novel when you were there, so maybe that's it. You need a change of scenery, a change of pace, so inspiration will finally strike. Or, you know, you could always _On the Road _it” She shrugs, and that elicits a smirk from him.

“I can't, I can’t just pack up and go. I mean, what about Truncheon? What about you and me?”

“Truncheon will be fine” Victoria assures him, “You're hardly ever around now that you guys expanded, and I’m fairly certain that they could assign the scouting to someone else. I mean, anyone would be happy to travel around to meet with authors. And about us, well, we’ve done it so far, right? With me living in New York and you here, so instead of me going to Philly, I’ll just have to go to Connecticut instead”.

“And it's simple as that?” He quirks up an eyebrow at her and Victoria nods.

“Seems like it, huh? So, you’ll consider it?”

“I don't know… Hey, why don't you come with me?” Jess suggests, receiving a skeptical look from his girlfriend in response, “Come on, it could be fun! And better than going to your mother's house in Florida.”

“Babe, I appreciate the concern, but I’ll be fine. I can handle my mother. And besides, I don't think I’m a Stars Hollow kind of gal. I don't fit in into the whole _Pleasantville _aesthetic they have going.”

“And I do?”

“That's different. You have family and friends there, people have known you since you were a kid. You're not ‘the newcomer’. Besides, I think it’ll be good for me to visit Mommy Dearest. I haven't seen her since—"

"Holly’s wedding?”

Victoria cringes at the mention of her sister’s wedding, some three months ago. Let's just say the night did not end well. “Do you think she's still mad?”

“Do I think your mother is still mad that you pushed her, and not only did she knock over the three-story cake, but also tripped and _fell_ on it? Huh, that's a tough one” Jess squints and rubs his chin, pretending to be really pondering and Victoria smacks him on the arm, laughing.

“It's not funny!” She protests.

“Then why are you laughing?”

“Okay, so it’s a little funny. Tragic, but funny. Do you think she's inviting me down there to get back at me for that?” Victoria shudders, “Yikes. Now your Stars Hollow offer is starting to sound awfully appealing.”

“See?”

“But still, I think I have to do this. Holly and Adam are going too, so then I can apologize to them for pretty much ruining their reception. You know what, that reminds me, I still have to get them a really expensive gift.”

“Didn't you already give them an ice cream maker?”

“Well, yeah, but I don't think an ice cream maker can make up for the mess I made. I’ll… I’ll think of something, don’t worry. Now, about your situation. Are you going to do it?”

Jess has really considered it and crazy as it may sound, it could be just crazy enough to work. Is Stars Hollow his favorite place in the world? No. Far from it. Even though he doesn't loathe that town as much as he once did, he's sure he’ll always feel like something of an outsider there. But Victoria is right. His first book, everything started when he was at the apartment above the diner and started to scribble on the leather notebook Luke had given him for Christmas in the previous year. He began to put how hurt and lost he felt into paper, and the story just started to fall into place. Then, after that night at Yale, Jess moved around and ended up in Philly, writing as he went, but his mind always wandered back to Stars Hollow in one way or another. So, yes. Perhaps that town has some magic to it after all, or at least _something_ that, for some inexplicable reason, causes inspiration to strike.

“Yeah” Jess responds, a little surprised by how certain he sounds, “I’m… moving to Stars Hollow. For the time being.”

Victoria grins and then places a kiss on his shoulder, “Oh, yeah. For the time being.” She agrees easily, wrapping her arms around his neck, “This is going to be really good for you, I know it.”

“I hope so” Jess says, taking one of her hands into his own, “Seems like we both have to pack now, huh?”

“It appears so” Victoria says, giving him a quick peck on the lips and the two laugh.

  * ••

Rory is sitting in the kitchen, browsing through apartment listings, but none of the ads really catch her eye, which is becoming increasingly frustrating. After her not-so-sudden realization that it is about time she moves out of her mother’s house, Rory thought that finding another place to live would be easy, especially in Stars Hollow, but that’s not the case at all. She wants Richie to grow up there, to have the same kind of childhood she did, but committing to a new apartment is not easy. She has so much to take into consideration, because this isn’t just her life anymore. There’s this little person that she’s responsible for now, and whatever decision she makes, will certainly affect her son more that it will her. What if he doesn’t adapt to living in an apartment after spending these two, almost three years of his life living in a house? Should Rory look for houses instead of apartments? But again, a house is a very big purchase, and Rory has only recently found actual stability in her life, so is making that huge a decision now the best idea? All these questions keep running through her head, and it just adds to the infinite list of things Rory has to worry about.

“Hey hon” Lorelai calls and Rory looks up from her computer, a little startled because she didn’t even hear her coming into the house, let alone the kitchen. “You don’t have classes today?”

“Oh, no. I think they might be cutting back my workload, actually” She replies, resting her chin on her hand, “It’s almost like they don’t think I can handle too many classes, just because I’ve never done this before. Can you believe that?”

“Well, maybe that’s not it. Perhaps they are just trying not to overwhelm you, you know? It’s not that they don’t trust that you can do this, but I think a school like that would rather keep a teacher than to have her go completely insane with an excessive number of hours” Her mother tells her knowingly as she sits down in one of the chairs.

“Yeah, I guess. I hope you’re right.” Rory shrugs, then continues to impatiently scroll through the Stars Hollow Real Estate website. Still not even a single decent ad in sight.

“What are you doing?” Lorelai asks, trying to take a peek at the computer, but Rory abruptly shuts the laptop closed. “Okay, what the hell was that?”

“Promise you won’t be mad?”

“Rory, you’re nearly 35, I won’t be mad if you’re looking at porn” Lorelai teases and Rory lets out a humorless chuckle.

“Ha-ha. And why would I be _scrolling_ through a porn website?”

“I don’t know, you could be checking out your options, there’s a lot you can choose from these days” Lorelai says, then quickly adds: “Not that I personally would know, that is”.

“Huh, okay” Rory retorts with a skeptical look on her face. “But seriously, you promise you won’t be mad if tell you what I’m actually doing?”

“Yes, I do promise”.

“I am looking at apartments because… I think it’s time I move out. And I don’t want you to think that I don’t appreciate you letting me stay here and helping out with Richie, which I really do, but it _is_ time” Rory blurts out, “Are you mad?”

“No! Of course I’m not mad, sweets. I’m a little sad that I won’t get to see you or my grandson every day and every night anymore, but I’m not mad. Not in the slightest” Lorelai assures her daughter, squeezing her hand.

Rory lets out a sigh of relief, “Oh, Mom, that really puts my mind at ease, you have no idea. But don’t worry, though. I think this might take a while longer than I predicted.”

“Why is that?”

“I’ve been looking through all these different sites and none of these places seem right. The apartments are nice and could probably do for Richie and me, but I don’t want _nice_, I want—”

“Perfect?”

“Yes” Rory nods, pulling her hair back. “As much as I hate to admit it, I want Richie’s second home to be perfect. Or least remotely as great as his first one. Is that crazy?”

“No, not crazy at all. Just shows what a great mom you are” Lorelai smiles and Rory laughs again, to keep herself from tearing up.

“Well, I learned from the best” She says, smiling back at her mother.

“Okay, bottom line is, whatever you decide to do, I’m sure it’ll be the right decision and I’ll be here to support you no matter what” Lorelai tells Rory, “And if it happens to not be the right decision, you know that we’ll always have a room waiting for you here. I mean, not for long. I might turn it into a fashion studio, and really take this seamstress quality of mine to another level. Great idea, huh?”

“Yeah, right. You talk as if you haven’t kept my bedroom exactly as I left it when I moved away for college.”

“Fair enough” Lorelai concedes with a smirk and before Rory can say anything else, her phone begins to ring. She takes it out of her purse, and Jess is the one who’s calling.

“Uh, I got to take this” Rory says to her mother then goes outside, where the reception is better. She sits down at the porch swing then puts the phone to her ear. “Hello?”

“Hey!” Jess says, a little too enthusiastically. “Are you home? Can you talk?”

“Yeah, I am, I’m just sitting outside. You sound like you’re in a good mood. I take it there’s been a reconciliation between you and a certain girlfriend of yours?”

“You are not wrong about that, but I’m excited because I have some news that I think you’ll be ecstatic about”.

All of a sudden, Rory’s heart nearly drops. Big news usually mean someone’s pregnant or someone’s getting married, and considering there has been a reconciliation… “You’re not engaged, are you?” Rory asks and hates herself for expecting ‘no’ for an answer. 

“No, no” Jess chuckles and even though he can’t see her, Rory feels ashamed by the odd relief she feels, so much that her cheeks flush red. “Okay, what would you say if I told you that I’m moving to Stars Hollow to write my new book?”

“Uh, I’d tell you that April Fools has already passed.”

“Yeah, I’m not kidding” He says and Rory frowns, in utter disbelief. “I’m moving into the apartment above the diner, I already talked to Luke and I’m going back tomorrow after I drop Victoria at the airport tomorrow. So, it looks like we’re going to be neighbors!”

“No way, you can’t be serious! You aren’t voluntarily moving to Stars Hollow… You… you hate it here!”

“Jeez, woman, show some enthusiasm” Jess mocks, “Rory, I’ve never in my life have been more serious. I’m moving to Stars Hollow. I made up my mind about it today.”

“Okay, let’s say you’re not just screwing with me and this is actually true. What, pray tell, inspired this spur-of-the-moment move of yours? Because I’m pretty sure you can write a book from the comfort of your home in Philadelphia”.

Jess goes silent for a second, then clears his throat. “Actually, I can’t. I’ve tried and inspiration just hasn’t hit. Maybe a change of pace will do that. Taking in that good, ol’ small town feel again for more than one day might be just what I need, you know?”

Rory’s mouth suddenly drops. “You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?”

“As a heart attack”.

“Oh my God!” Rory exclaims and it comes out way louder than she intended, “This is so great, I mean, wow. It’s completely berserk, but _so_ great!”

“So, you’re happy?”

“Yes! Also shocked, very much so! You are pretty much the last person I’d expect to move here, but I’m so glad you are. Wow, um—”

“I know. I still haven’t fully wrapped my mind around it yet, although, it feels right, y’know? That feeling you get when something is just so… right?”

Rory chuckles softly and then shakes her head, still grinning, “Yeah, I do”.

“Listen, I’ll let you go, still got some packing to do. But I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

“You bet. Bye, Jess.”

“Bye, Ror.”

Rory ends the call then takes a moment to process that information. Jess is moving to Stars Hollow. Even thinking about it seems way too far-fetched to be true, but it is. Having him be around more is something she is almost certain that she secretly has always wanted, especially ever since they got closer in the past two, nearly three years.

She walks back into the kitchen, where Lorelai is at table, eating some powdered donuts. “Honey, is everything okay?”, Lorelai asks, as she notices the mixed look of confusion and joy on her daughter’s face.

“Yeah. Uh, Jess is moving here.”

“Here? Here as in Stars Hollow, here?” Lorelai almost chokes on one of her donuts, then coughs, “Jess Mariano, is, by his own free will, _choosing_ to move to Stars Hollow, Connecticut?”

“Yeah” Rory nods, sitting down, “Appears so”.

“Wow”.

“I know!”

“And what in God’s name inspired that?” Lorelai questions and gets up to get herself a glass of water, then out of the blue, her expressions turns almost solemn, “Oh no… is he moving here for you?”

“What? That’s ridiculous. Jess would _never_ move here for me. It’s— You’re cracked to even think that” Rory replies, her brows knitted together.

“Well, is that so crazy to think? I mean, it’s clear that there’s still something there” Lorelai shrugs, taking a sip of her water.

“Do you want me to have you committed? Is that it? Is this your version of a cry for help?”

“Why are you acting like it’s the most absurd thing in the world?”

“Because it is!” Rory rises to her feet, letting out an exasperated sigh, “I can’t believe I’m even having this conversation with you! There isn’t and there hasn’t been anything going on between Jess and I for a really long time!”

“So, when you two cuddled up on the couch last night, that was nothing?”

“We— We were not _cuddling_! We fell asleep! Why are you pushing this?”

“Why are you fighting it?”

Rory rubs her face with both her hands. “What do you want me to say, Mom? That I still have feelings for Jess? Because I don’t. Do I love him? Yes, of course I do. He’s probably the closest friend I have right now, and I care for him, but am I _in_ love with him? No. I haven’t been in many, many years.”

“Okay” Lorelai says, drinking the rest of her water as she takes a seat at the table again.

“Okay what?”

“Fine, I believe you”.

“Oh” Rory drops her shoulders, “Good, then. Fine.”

“Fine” Lorelai then raises her hands up and slowly lowers them, reaching for the last of the powdered donuts.

Rory eyes her mother warily, then folds her arms over her chest. “Fine” She echoes, sitting back down.

(…)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, i hope you all enjoyed this chapter even though, as i said before, nothing much happens in it, but i feel like things might start to pick up from here ;) let me know what you think about jess' decision, about victoria and rory's defensiveness when confronted about her feelings for mr jess mariano, just give me some feedback, i'd really appreciate! till next time, folks <3


	3. The One Where He Returns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jess moves back to Stars Hollow and Rory receives an unexpected visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey!! so, i'm really excited about this update because i'm quite please with how this chapter turned out and i really hope you all like it as well <3 it is a bit long, but maybe it'll make up for my very irregular posting. anyhow, happy reading and let me know what you think in the comments! x

“So, let me get this straight here, you're bailing on us…” Chris says, crossing his arms, “… to go to _Connecticut_?”

“I am _not_ bailing” Jess tells him, for what feels like is the fifth time, “I’m taking a sabbatical. It's good for the soul, and for my writing. Especially my writing. You’ve been nagging me to write another book for years!”

“A sabbatical?” He checks, incredulous, then turns to Matthew, “Has he ever even taken a vacation? Willingly, that is?”

“Hey, don’t look at me. I actually think this is a good idea” Matthew says with a shrug and Chris’ eyes go wide.

“Thank you!” Jess exclaims.

“How can you think this is a good idea?!” Chris protests, “The man has clearly lost his mind, and you're just adding to this insanity!”

“Chris, I do realize that over the years we have become obnoxiously close, maybe even co-dependent in some level, but it's not like he's leaving forever!” Matthew retorts but then turns to Jess, an eyebrow raised. “Although… there is one thing I don't understand.”

Jess sighs and folds his arms over his chest. “And what is that?”

“How your girlfriend is so okay with sending you into the arms of the ex. I mean, Victoria is a mature young woman, but no one is that mature. Doesn't she know about…?” Matthew asks and Jess immediately knows what he's talking about.

After Luke and Lorelai's wedding, nearly three years ago, Jess feared that his feelings for Rory were rising to the surface again, after years of him trying to keep them at bay, and that led to a very panicked phone call to Matthew, imploring him to retrieve a letter Jess wrote to himself ten years earlier.

But then, Jess convinced himself that what he thought were these unresolved romantic feelings, were just product of the nostalgia that came with being back in Stars Hollow, where they first fell in love, for a wedding, of all events. Weddings do that to people, make them wonder about all the “what-ifs” and “could-have-beens”. Well, at least that’s what Jess _wanted_ to believe.

**NOVEMBER 4TH, 2016 — A day before the wedding**

With a deep sigh, Jess walks away from the Gilmore house and immediately takes out his phone, dialing his friend Matthew’s number. “Hey, I need you to read me the letter” He says before Matthew can even get a single word in.

“Woah, woah, woah. First of all, who is this?” His friend teases, but Jess really isn’t up for it at the moment. He needs Matthew to find and then read him the damn letter _he_ told Jess to write in the first place because Jess is about to go down the same road, he’s gone down ever since he met Rory and he needs someone to get him to realize how big of a mistake that is. How absolutely awful it would be if he went there again. And no person better to do this than himself, ten years ago, after having his heart broken by the Gilmore girl again.

“Matt, please” Jess pleads, “You know what I’m talking about, so please, get me the letter. I really need it.”

“Should I even ask what drove you to that ledge again?”

“No, because I’m not on a ledge. I might be on my way to one, but I’m not there yet, so I need you to read me the fucking letter before I do, okay?”

“Jeez, fine!” Matthew exclaims and Jess can picture him raising his hands in mock-surrender, making a face, “Let me just find it. Where did you hide it again?”

“Where are you?”

“I am _not_ not at your apartment eating nachos and watching the game on your big ass TV” Matt grimaces and Jess almost manages to muster up some kind of amusement in the midst of his agonizing.

“Okay, it’s in my bedroom, bottom of my sock drawer” Jess instructs Matthew, and he can hear his friend walking through the apartment on the other side of the call. Then there’s the sound of a heavy drawer being slid open, and Jess lets out a sigh of relief. “You got it?”

“Yeah, I’ve got it” Matthew replies, ripping the envelope open, “Do you want me to start reading now?”

“Yes.”

“You sure?”

“Matthew!”

“Okay! Reading it!” Matt exclaims, “_Dear Jess, if you’re reading this right now, then it means that you’ve done it. You’re officially a sad, pathetic loser. _Damn man, this is harsh. You sure you want me to read you this?”

“It’s supposed to be harsh, that’s why I need it. Keep going!”

“Alright. _Rory? Again? Are you still seriously harboring feelings for that girl? Who stomped on your heart over and over? Nope, we are not doing that. Remember, you may always love Rory, but you are _not_ in love with her. You may think you are after you smell her perfume or hear her laugh again after a long time, but you are not— _Okay, this is the stupidest thing I have ever heard in my life. I can’t do this.”

Jess huffs. “Dare I remind you that _you’re_ the one who suggested I write this letter after the incident of 2006?”

“Well, I was wrong. Forgive me for not always being brilliant, I am only a man! I’m not a god, Mariano!” Matthew says, oh-so-dramatically. “But seriously, this is not a good strategy at all. What are some words in a letter you wrote ten years ago going to do? They can’t change how you feel!”

“I don’t _feel_ anything. I think I do, and that’s why I need the letter, to tell me that I’m wrong and that is just me… being _nostalgic_. It’s a wedding, right? It does that kind of thing to people!”

“No, you’re being ridiculous, and that’s for sure. Can I ask you something? And you’ll promise to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?”

“Yes, your honor” Jess mutters, rolling his eyes.

“Why haven’t you had a serious girlfriend ever since you and Rory broke up?”

A beat of silence. “That’s not fair. I’ve dated plenty of people since Rory and I broke up, I mean, there was T—”

“Don’t even try to bring up Taylor! Again, you can’t be seriously committed to someone who lives across the ocean and who you only saw twice a year, at most!”

“Hey, it was long distance! I dated that girl for almost three years! Some people can make the long-distance thing work, y’know?”

“You weren’t even exclusive! She was sleeping with other people and so were you!” Matthew practically yells, then inhales deeply, to calm himself down as he tries to handle his friend’s utter stubbornness. “Isn’t it strange that the most ‘committed’, and picture me doing air-quotes here, relationship you’ve had in the past decade was with someone you never saw?”

“Okay, so maybe I’m not a commitment kind of guy” Jess insists.

“You were committed to Rory, weren’t you?”

“I mean… I was— I was eighteen. Then I bailed on her, so clearly if I was committed, I wasn’t committed enough to stay, which just further backs my point. Maybe I’m not meant to be a relationship, maybe I’m better off as a—”

“Say ‘lone wolf’ and I’m hanging up” Matthew says.

“I wasn’t going to say that, but you know what I mean. I never had a functional family, so it’s not surprising that I’m for all means incapable of having a functional relationship with someone. You minored in psychology, isn’t there something about that?”

“Yeah, hm… I believe the technical term for that is _bullshit_.”

“It’s not bullshit!”

“First of all, you only walked away from your relationship with her because you had other stuff going on! Your dad came back, you flunked out of school, then your uncle kicked you out—”

“I remember all that, thank you.”

“Shut up. My point is, if all that hadn’t happened, do you think that you and Rory would’ve stayed together? Or better yet, do you think you would’ve wanted to stay with her?”

Jess shuts his eyes for a moment and leans his back against his car door. He knows Matthew is right, but he hates that he’s right. “I don’t know, maybe. Yes.” Jess admits, exhaling. “But that doesn’t matter anymore, and it doesn’t explain my clear commitment issues. It’s all in the past.”

“Is it, though?” Matthew asks but Jess doesn’t respond, “Listen, I’m only looking out for you. You’re one of the best people I know, man, and I don’t want to see you get hurt, it’s the last thing I want. But if you keep burying these feelings you have, I’m afraid you’ll never get the ending you deserve, and you will always wonder.”

That makes Jess smile. “Thanks, man. But… how do you know that if say I tell Rory how I supposedly feel, that it will grant me this great ending and not with her making it abundantly clear those feelings are and will always be one-sided?”

“Thing is, I don’t know that. Not to sound like a cheesy pillow embroidery, but I think that you also will never know until you try. If it ends on a bad note, at least you’ll have the closure you need to move on and if it ends like I hope it will, you will be glad for not giving up. And you’ll show 2006 Jess that he was wrong about everything on this letter.”

“Thank you, Matt. I’ll… I’ll see what I decide. Talk to you later.”

“Yeah, take care. Let me know how it goes, alright?”

“Yeah, okay. Bye.”

“Bye”.

Jess ends the call and then runs a hand through his hair, questioning whether to get into his car or not. To be honest, his first instinct is to run, to go as far away as he can from Rory and that town, but he couldn’t do that to Luke, especially not less than twenty-four hours before his wedding day. He’s his best man, after all. And Jess is tired of running. He’s done his share of that for a lifetime.

A part of him thinks that maybe Matthew is right. Maybe he is lying to himself because he is afraid of getting hurt. But the other, can help but wonder: what if he’s simply confused and this, whatever it is, is nothing? He can’t possibly jeopardize his friendship with Rory over feeling those ridiculous butterflies again after he watched her through the window and heard her laugh. That’s just something that will always be there, and the best thing he can do, for the both of them, is to let it go, because it's just not worth the risk.

And so, he does.

**PRESENT DAY**

“She doesn’t know about that particular episode, but that meant nothing” Jess replies to his friend’s question, “Besides, she trusts me. I would never do anything to hurt her. And, actually, this was _her_ idea”.

“Really?” Chris gives Jess a skeptical look, “So maybe she’s the one I need to have words with. I still think this is crazy. It’s worse than when you packed up and left for Europe after Christmas, two years ago. Because this time, I’m afraid you won’t be coming back.”

“I forgot about Europe!” Matthew gasps, “Which brings me back to my point, didn’t that happen after Rory told you she was pregnant, and you freaked? Does Victoria know about _that_?”

Jess rubs his face with both his hands then groans, “That’s not important! That… was different. I don’t want to talk about that. What I’m saying here is, I’m leaving tomorrow morning, so you two can either continue to point out reasons why I shouldn’t go” He says, then points over at Chris, “Or how this will affect my relationship” Jess adds, turning to Matthew, “Or we could just go out and have a few beers so we can say goodbye. What do you say?”

His friends share a look, then sigh. “Alright, fine” Chris gives in, raising up his hands, “But if you think this conversation is over, you are rudely mistaken, my friend” He says, raising his index finger at Jess. “I’m going to get my coat upstairs, I’ll see you two outside”.

Chris goes up the stairs and Matthew and Jess are left alone in the bullpen. “What about you, Matt? You in?” Jess asks, and his friend chuckles.

“Yeah, I’m in” He smiles, “Just looking out for you, man. I’d hate to see you screw things up with Victoria. I’ve actually grown to like her now, believe it or not.”

“Well, I like her too, Matt. A lot.” Jess assures him, “Me moving to Stars Hollow temporarily isn’t going to change that. I mean, she lives in New York, I live here, and we still make it work. She’s fine with it, I’m fine with it. We’ll be okay.”

Matthew wants to question that, but the optimism in Jess’ voice is almost intoxicating. It’s good to see him being positive about something, because that is a rarity. So, he doesn’t say anything, because it simply isn’t his place, but he still fears that Jess spending most of his time around Rory won’t end well for any of the parties involved. In this kind of situation, it never does.

“As long as you’re both fine with it, I have no reason to worry, then” Matt tells him and that elicits a smirk from Jess.

The two go outside and Chris, who is right behind them, follows. They go to their favorite bar around and for this one night, Matthew and Chris let Jess off the hook, because they _will_ miss him, and decide to keep their opinions on this impromptu move of his to themselves.

(…)

At the same time, in Stars Hollow, Rory leaves the bathroom after a shower and then sits down at the kitchen table to continue checking her email. Suddenly, a notification pops up and there’s a new message on her inbox, from an address she doesn’t recognize. From a person named Andrew Reid, or in this case, from his secretary.

Rory clicks on the email and begins to read it.

_“Dear Miss Gilmore,_

_I am not sure if you’re aware, but after Mr. Whitman’s passing this summer, the English department is now headed by Mr. Reid. Anyhow, he noticed today that the two of you haven’t crossed paths yet. It turns out that you are the only member of the department he hasn’t met, so, if you can, please stop by his office after your classes tomorrow so the two of you can talk._

_Best,_

_Sarah Novak”._

Rory finishes reading it, then frowns as she continues to stare at her laptop screen. Something about that email just doesn’t sit right with her. Who even is this guy and why couldn’t he write the message himself? If he was the headmaster, then she would understand, the man is in charge of the entire school. But the head of the English department? Isn’t that more of an honorary title than anything else? What does a head of department even do?

Oh well, maybe Rory is just being too judgmental. Perhaps Mr. Andrew Reid even is a nice, upstanding man, who just would rather have his secretary write his emails for him because he just is _that _busy. Some curiosity sparks from her wondering, so Rory quickly types a response to the email, saying that she’ll meet with Mr. Reid tomorrow after lunch.

Not even five minutes later, Andrew — or better yet, Sarah — replies with information about where his office is located, so Rory doesn’t have to go around looking for it, which is considerate of him. Or her.

Rory shuts her laptop closed then goes over to the living room, where Richie is sitting on the couch, watching TV. “Hey bud, it’s almost time for bed. Don’t you think we should wrap up here and get you in your jammies so I can read you a story?”

“I don’t want a story!” He cries, in a sudden outburst, crossing his arms, “I don’t want to go to bed!”

“Richie!”

“No!”

“Richie, I’m serious. It’s late. It’s time for you to go to bed” Rory says firmly, although she is trying to remain calm. All the parenting books she read while she was pregnant say that you should always keep calm when your child is having a tantrum like this. 

Rory reaches for the remote and turns off the TV, and her son starts bawling. “Come on, Rich. We’re going to read_ Pinocchio_! Don’t you like that one?” She says, wiping his tears and Richie sniffles.

“Can _Chess _read me a story?” He asks, looking at her with those big brown eyes and Rory’s mouth drops, as she tries to think of something to say. She’s afraid that he’ll start kicking and screaming again when she tells him that Jess is not in Stars Hollow, at least not until tomorrow.

“Oh, honey, Jess isn’t here anymore. But he’ll be here tomorrow, so if you go to sleep now, tomorrow will come faster” Rory tries and then the crying starts again. “Oh God”, she sighs, running a hand through her hair, “Okay! I’ll… I’ll call Jess. Okay? I’ll call him and he will tell you a story.”

“Really?” Richie checks, sniffling and Rory nods.

“Yes, really. Now come on” Rory picks him up and walks over to the bedroom. She changes him out of his clothes into his pajamas, then tucks him in. “Just a second, sweetie” Rory says to her son, who is expectantly awaiting, with his fingers laced over his middle.

Rory pulls out her cellphone then dials Jess’ number, hoping he will answer. It rings twice before he picks up. “Rory?” His voice comes out hoarse and there seems to be a lot of noise in the background, like he is at a very crowded bar or something.

“Hey, uh, I… I’m sorry, can you talk?”

“Yeah, yeah” He says, then Rory can hear him moving someplace quieter, “Sorry about that. The guys and I, we came to a bar to have some sort of send-off party for me, since I’m leaving tomorrow, but we might leave soon because it’s _karaoke_ night.”

“And you hate karaoke” Rory laughs, thinking of the many times she has tried to convince Jess to sing karaoke with her, but he has refused every single time, even despite her incessant nagging.

“I really do. Chris and Matthew signed up for it, though, so that should be fun” Jess chuckles softly, “But why’d you call? Something wrong?”

“No. I mean, kind of. I don't want to spoil your last night in Philly” Rory says to him dismissively.

“Nonsense. Come on, why’d you call?”

Rory sighs. “Okay, this is going to sound stupid but I really didn't know what else to do. I tried to put Richie to bed, but he refused to go because doesn't want _me_ to read him a story. He wants someone else to do it”.

“Someone else?” Jess asks, sounding confused.

“Yes. _You_, actually” Rory tells him, “I tried to tell him you're not here and that you’ll only be here tomorrow, but then he started to cry again and I panicked and—”

“Rory, put him on” Jess says and Rory blinks, surprised.

“Seriously?” She checks, “Jess, you don't have to do this, I mean, you should be hanging out with your friends and—”

“Rory” Jess says her name again, but this time he uses the tone that usually means she's babbling.

“Sorry. I’ll put you on speaker” She replies, smiling, “Okay buddy, Jess will talk to you now” Rory tells Richie, then puts the phone next to him.

“Hey Rich, it's Jess” He says, “You hearing me okay?”

“Yeah!” The boy exclaims.

“So, you want me to tell you a story, huh?” Jess asks and Richie nods, “Okay, here goes…”

And then, just like that, Jess comes up with a story about a boy who rides a sheep to the moon, and before they know it, Richie is fast asleep. Rory turns on his night light and then puts the phone back to her ear.

“Hey, it worked!” She whispers, “He’s asleep. Jess, I can't thank you enough. You didn't—”

“Have to do this, I know. Ror, when are you going to understand that maybe I want to?”

“You know what I mean” Rory says, closing the door behind her, “But thank you. You're a lifesaver.”

“Don't mention it” Jess replies and Rory can picture him smirking on the other side of the line, “Uh… listen, I gotta go, but I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, I’ll see ya. Love you, bye” The end call button is tapped before Rory even realizes the words that have just come out of her mouth, “Oh no! Oh, no, no, no, no!” She panics, staring at her phone.

“Did I just say that?” She asks herself aloud, putting the phone down on the table. “Okay Rory, breathe” Rory runs her hands through her hair, “This is not a big deal. Friends say ‘I love you’ to each other all the time, right? Maybe he didn't hear it—”

Suddenly, Rory hears keys jingling at the front door. It's her mom and Luke coming back from their Doose’s run. She tries to calm herself down, telling herself that this is no big deal. Again, Jess probably didn't even catch that part. I mean, she does talk fast and there was a lot of noise over there.

“Hey hon, we bought popcorn and ice-cream” Lorelai greets her, with a couple of very full paper bags in her arms and Rory just forces a smile, and her mother immediately notices she seems a little off, “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bit tired” Rory responds, “So, how many pints of ice-cream are in there?”

“She bought one of each flavor because she couldn't pick” Luke grumbles as he enters the kitchen.

“Of course” Rory snorts, “But I’m sorry, I’m gonna have to skip the ice-cream palooza. I have an early day tomorrow and I’m not really hungry.”

“You're not hungry? You're always hungry” Lorelai says, then puts the back of her hand to Rory's forehead, pretending to check her temperature, “Are you sure you're not sick?”

“I’m fine” Rory assures and Lorelai pouts, lowering her hand.

“Well, if you say so” Lorelai shrugs, “I guess this means Luke is going to have to help me eat all this, then” She says, the corners of her lips quirking up mischievously as she turns to her husband, “Come on, hubby. Tonight you are going to eat like a Gilmore.”

Luke groans but follows his wife into the living room nevertheless. Then before Rory can go into her room, he returns to the kitchen and calls after her. “Hey, Rory?”

“Yeah?”

“You know Jess is coming here tomorrow, right?” He asks and Rory tries not to flinch at the mention of Jess’ name, considering what happened a few minutes earlier.

“I do” She replies, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible, “Why?”

“Ah, you know, I was thinking about doing some kind of pizza party to celebrate him coming back but I don't want him to know it was my idea, or I’ll never hear the end of it” He explains and Rory chuckles.

“Aw, Luke, you old softie!”

“Anyway…” Luke continues, rolling his eyes at her. “What do you think?”

“I think it's a great idea. Jess will really appreciate it.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah, definitely. What time is he getting here tomorrow?”

“Actually, I’m not sure. I’ll text him in a bit” Luke says and Rory just nods.

“Kind of weird hearing you use ‘text’ as a verb” Rory teases.

“I know” Luke sighs, “Your mother's influence, I guess.”

“Guess so. Well, goodnight Luke” Rory gives him a side hug and he chuckles.

“Goodnight, Rory” Luke replies, then goes back to the living room, and Rory can hear _Sabrina_ starting from afar.

She enters her bedroom and plops down on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. Then, her phone vibrates and Rory is afraid that maybe it's a text from Jess about what just happened, but it's actually a notification for a message in her voicemail… from Logan.

Rory puts the phone to her ear, then listens to it: _“Hey Ace, it's me. We need to talk. Please call me back.” _And that's it. That's the entire message.

“How very cryptic of you, Huntzberger” She mutters, putting the cellphone away. Rory then makes a mental note to return his call, and hopes that she actually remembers to.

(…)

Later that night, Lorelai gets out of the bathroom after her shower, already dressed in her matching pajamas, combing through her hair. Luke is sitting in bed, already under the covers, looking at some papers with his reading glasses on.

Lorelai climbs onto the bed then moves closer towards her husband. “What you doing there?” She asks and Luke slides his glasses up, looking over at her.

“Oh, just looking through some documents my lawyer told me to bring by later this week. Apparently, there are some things that need updating or something, I don’t even know” He explains with a shrug, “The man just started speaking legalese and I, as one does, stopped listening”.

“Naturally,” Lorelai smirks, “but everything is okay? I mean, the diner isn’t in trouble, right?”

“No, not at all. Just some bureaucratic stuff that needed taking care of, but everything’s fine. Well, that is if I remembered all the things he asked me for, because again, I kind of tuned out after all that legal mumbo-jumbo started”.

“Oh, I’m glad, then. Not that you have this documental crap to take care of, but that everything is fine. Funny, that word seems to be coming up a lot today…” Lorelai says, remembering her conversation with Rory earlier and how defensive her daughter became when Lorelai implied that there might be some unresolved feelings between her, and ex-boyfriend turned best friend.

“How so?” Luke asks, putting the documents aside and Lorelai sighs.

“Jess told you he’s moving here, right? Into your old apartment?”

“Yeah, I told him he could stay there for as long as he likes… Speaking of which, did we clear out the place this summer? I remember going to Goodwill with a bunch of boxes, but I can’t recall if it was the garage boxes or the apartment boxes…”

“I think it was the apartment boxes” Lorelai replies, absentmindedly. “So, he called Rory this afternoon to tell her the big news, and I might have questioned the reason for this sudden move of his and might have implied that he’s doing it for Rory” She grimaces, aware of how her husband is against her meddling in Rory and Jess’ relationship.

“Wait, what? You told her that? Why would do that?” He asks, his eyes widened.

“I don’t know! He says he’s moving here for the book, but let’s be honest, you never know what’s going on in the head of that nephew of yours, so I _had_ to ask!” Lorelai responds, “All I know is that I said that to Rory and she blew the whole thing out of proportion, got all defensive and—”

“Lorelai, how many times have I told you not to get involved? If these two are meant to be together, they will work it out on their own! They’re adults, they can make their own decisions and figure out their own feelings! Geez, no wonder she was acting so weird tonight”.

Lorelai rubs her face with both her hands, letting out a frustrated groan. “I know! But don’t you think is strange how Rory completely freaked when I suggested that there’s something other than friendship going on between them? I just…”

“You just what?”

“I don’t want Rory to miss out on what could be a good thing, simply because she’s too scared and too stubborn to go down that road again. I know Jess and I have had our differences in the past, but he’s a good guy, I get that now. And if he’s… the great love of her life, then…”

Luke takes one of her hands into both of his, squeezing it gently. “Your intentions are good, I know that, but there’s nothing you can do here. If they’re supposed to be together, things will work themselves out. I mean, they did for us, right?”

Lorelai grins then gives him a kiss. “Yeah, they did” She says, “How is it that you always know the right thing to say?”

“I don't” He replies, “But I think it's our job to keep each other sane, you know?”

“Huh, so marriage does have its perks” Lorelai quips and Luke chuckles.

“You're only now realizing that?”

“Oh, yeah” She laughs, “Now come on, enough bureaucracy for tonight. It's…” Lorelai then tries to hum a drum roll sound, “_Lifetime_ movie time!”

“Come on, we _just_ watched a movie!”

“No, that was a _good_ movie. A _Lifetime_ movie is the kind of movie you start watching, and even if you're intrigued by the _very_ well-thought storyline, you end up falling asleep either way!”

“Lorelai…”

“Please, I’ll let you pick!” Lorelai pouts, grabbing the remote as she goes through the options on the DVR. “Okay, we have… A: Seductive nanny brings chaos into the home or…. B: Torrid affair between teacher and student, student turns out to be a psycho. So?”

“Both of those sound awful! Lorelai, can’t we just go to sleep?”

“You're no fun” Lorelai crosses her arms over her chest, “Okay, guess we’ll just go to sleep, like an old married couple.”

“Okay” Luke concedes and Lorelai grins with excitement, “Put the one with the nanny on”.

“Really?”

“Yeah, but do it fast before I change my mind” He says and Lorelai cuddles up to him, sighing wistfully.

“I have the best husband in the world” She says, and Luke just smirks, kissing the top of her head.

(…)

The next morning, after her classes, Rory follows the instructions sent in the email and finds herself standing outside the door of Andrew Reid’s office. She pushes through the door and a redhead, who she assumes is Sarah, the woman she exchanged emails last night, is sitting at the front desk. “Uh, hello?” Rory calls from the door and immediately catches Sarah’s attention.

“Hi, you must be Rory” Sarah shoots up from her chair and circles her desk to greet her with a handshake, “I’m Sarah, Mr. Reid’s secretary?”

“I figured. Nice to meet you, Sarah” Rory smiles, “Is Mr. Reid around? Because I can come back some other time—”

“No, no, Mr. Reid went out to grab some coffee but he’ll be right back”. The redhead waves a hand at her dismissively, “You can go inside and wait, he will be right with you” Sarah points at the door facing her desk.

“Okay, thank you” Rory says and then walks into the office.

It's particularly similar to Headmaster Charleston’s office, except it's smaller and it smells like cinnamon. Rory can't help but notice the record player on top of the large mahogany desk, playing a Sinatra album, but Rory isn't quite sure which one it is. She is about to take a seat when a man comes into the room.

He’s tall and brown-haired, wearing an expensive-looking blazer with elbow patches. He looks somewhat like you’d expect a professor to look like, except he appears to be a lot younger than the other faculty members, around Rory’s age.

“Hello,” He greets her with a smile, and Rory realizes he also has an English accent. _Of course he does_, she thinks to herself. “You must be Miss Gilmore. I’m Andrew Reid” Andrew then extends a hand for her to shake and Rory does so, before sitting down.

“_You're _Andrew Reid?” Rory checks and he nods, seemingly amused by the dumbfounded look on her face, “I’m sorry, I just thought you would be—”

“What?”

“Sorry, it’s just… You seem kind of young, is all. I guess I’d expect the head of anything, let alone the head of Chilton’s English department, to be more... I don’t know…”

“Weathered?” Andrew suggests, quirking up an eyebrow at her.

“Exactly” Rory nods, her eyes darting over to her shoes, “I didn’t mean to offend, I was just—”

“Surprised. I get it, don’t worry about it. I haven’t been in the position long, though. Actually, it kind of fell on my lap when one of the older faculty members, Mr. Whitman, may he rest in peace, passed away this summer” He tells her, and Rory can’t help but smile a little.

“And how long have you been at Chilton?” She asks.

“About a year, actually. I used to teach at this academy in Massachusetts, but then I met Headmaster Charleston at a function two years ago and he said that I would be a great addition to the faculty at his school. Then, a year later, here I was” Andrew explains.

“What made you want to leave the school you taught at?”

“You like asking questions, don't you?”

“Sorry. Force of habit” Rory grimaces, “I used to be a journalist, so…”

“A journalist? How fascinating. What made you quit such a glamorous occupation to become a teacher?”

“It's not that glamorous, trust me” She snorts, “And it’s a very complicated, very long story that I’m not sure you have the time for. Maybe some other time.”

“I’ll hold you to that” He says with a smirk, “And to answer your question, I guess I just needed a change of pace. Also, it was either moving here or going back to England to live with my mum, so it wasn't that hard a decision”.

“Oh, I love England. I spent a while there some three years ago, actually” Rory tells him, “I was supposed to write Naomi Shropshire’s biography, but that didn't work”.

“Naomi Shropshire?” Andrew cringes at the mention of the woman's name. “Your poor thing!”

“You know her?”

“Unfortunately. She's a close friend of the family” He replies, “She is… something, that one.”

“She sure is. But, wow, what a small world, right?”

“It is, isn't it?” He chuckles, “Very well, Miss Gilmore, I don't want to hold up your day, so here's the real reason why I called you in here today. We are hosting a writing contest for the students, and we’d be thrilled if you’d be willing to participate”.

“A writing contest?”

“Yes. The students must write a short story, about any theme, and the best one will win a prize of 200 dollars” Andrew says and Rory's eyes sparkle with curiosity, “I think you could really inspire your students to join, and that would be a great help.”

“Oh, yes, of course” She agrees easily, “It's an awesome idea. I’d love to help!”

“Fantastic!” He grins, “I’ll make sure Sarah gives you the copies of the sign-up sheets on your way out”.

“Thank you” Rory says, putting a strand of loose hair behind her ear. “Um, I should go” She then rises to her feet again, “It was very nice to meet you, Mr. Reid”.

“Likewise, Miss Gilmore. I hope to see you again soon” Andrew responds, and Rory feels her face run hot as she turns to leave. She's pretty sure that she's blushing.

Rory is about to rush out of the office, when Sarah calls after her. “Miss Gilmore, the sign-up sheets!”

She goes back then takes the stack of papers from the secretary’s hands before she leaves. “Thank you! Bye, Sarah!” Rory says over her shoulder and the redhead winks at her.

Rory's palms are tingling, she feels like she is going to throw up (in a good way!) and she's blushing like a teenager… “Oh, no” Rory says aloud and two students that walk past her eye her warily.

When Rory meant she wanted to start dating again, this is not what she meant. Having a crush on a coworker is definitely not a good idea, especially when her love life is already so complicated. But then she thinks about the way he calls her ‘Miss Gilmore’ and how soothing it is to hear him talk, and how handsome he is and all reason just flies right out the window.

(…)

“Luke, I can’t thank you enough for letting me stay here for a while” Jess tells his uncle as they go up the stairs to their old apartment.

“Don't mention it. I’m glad to have you back, Jess” Luke responds, and Jess smirks.

Luke unlocks the door and before going in, he stops. Jess looks over his uncle’s shoulder, only to see that the apartment he's supposed to move into, is filled with dozens of boxes. The place looks straight out of an episode of _Hoarders_. “Uh, Luke?”

“Yeah?”

“What's with all the boxes, man?”

The two walk into the apartment and Jess takes a look around, and as he does, it seems like the boxes are somehow multiplying.

“Jess, I’m so sorry” His uncle says, scratching his stubble, “I thought we had taken these to the Goodwill, but we took the boxes from the _garage_, not the apartment”.

“Well, you think?!”

“Okay, here's what we're going to do” Luke turns to his nephew, “You’ll spend the night at our place tonight, and tomorrow I’ll take these to a storage unit in Woodbury. How's that sound?”

Jess sighs. “It's fine. You're lucky your couch is so comfortable” He says, pointing his index finger at his uncle, “I can't believe you didn't check if this was still a viable living space before you said I could stay here!”

“I know, I know. You just took me by surprise, it slipped my mind! Besides, you never had a problem sleeping on the couch before, have you?” Luke tells him pointedly and Jess frowns.

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“After Rory gave birth to Richie, you were always around, and you slept on the couch during that time, is all” Luke raises his hands in mock-surrender.

“Come on, I wasn't _always_ around” Jess rolls his eyes at him, “Always is exaggerating. I just wanted to help”.

“I’m not saying you didn't. You know what? Forget I said anything. I’m starting to do exactly what I told Lorelai _not_ to” Luke responds and Jess just stares at him in confusion.

“Should I even ask what that's about?”

“Trust me, you do not want to know” Luke assures him, “Now come on, are you hungry? I’ll make you a burger. You like burgers, don't you?”

“Eh, guess I could eat” Jess shrugs, the corners of his mouth quirking up and Luke taps him on the back, pushing him out of the apartment and the two laugh as they go down the stairs.

But as soon as they get down there, Jess spots Rory sitting at one of stools, which takes him by surprise. “Hey” is the only thing he can come up with to say.

“Hey” She replies, her mouth slightly agape. “You’re… here!”

“Actually, I’m not, but this is a very lifelike hologram, isn't it?” Jess jokes and Rory can't help but laugh.

Looking at him, she can't tell if he heard what she had said the previous night or not. He seems to be talking to her as he usually does, so that means he either did not hear her stupidly saying she loved him before hanging up or he did, but simply doesn't care. Rory questions whether she should bring it up or wait for him to do so.

“When did you get in?”

“Some twenty minutes ago?” He replies, “Sadly, I thought I would get here and have a place to stay, but as it turns out, Luke forgot that there are boxes on top of more boxes up there”.

“I thought those went to Goodwill?”

“So did he”.

“So, you're staying with us, right?”

“That's the plan” Jess says and then notices that now Rory is just staring at him, “Are you okay?”

“Of course I’m okay. Why wouldn't I be?”

“I don't know, you tell me.”

“No, _you_ tell me.”

“What?” Jess frowns and Rory stammers.

“One burger with fries…” Luke interrupts them as he emerges from the kitchen with a plate, which he hands over to Jess, “Oh, hey Rory. What are you doing here?”

“Uh, just wanted to grab some lunch. Can I get a BLT and a coke, please?” She says quickly, her eyes darting over to Jess.

“Coming right up” Luke says, writing down her order in his little notepad and goes back into the kitchen.

“So what was that?” Jess questions, eating one of his fries.

“What was what?”

“This weird thing we just did. Is there something going on? Because if there is, I think might have missed it”.

Rory sighs with relief. So he didn't hear it. Of course he didn't. There's no reason for her to act so strange around him, then. “Nothing. It's just… an odd day. I’m really happy to see you, though”.

“Same here, Gilmore” He smirks and Rory grins back at him, taking one of his fries.

(…)

In the evening, the pizza party Luke and Rory planned is happening at the Gilmore-Danes home. A lot of their Stars Hollow friends came by, so the house is full. Rory is sitting next to Babette and Miss Patty, as the red-haired woman tells a story about this man she met in Brazil in the sixties while Babette talks to Richie with silly voices, rocking him back and forth on her lap.

As she realizes her cup is empty, Rory excuses herself to go to the kitchen, where she finds Jess making himself a drink. “Hey” She approaches him and he looks over at her, “What’s your poison?” Rory asks, quirking up a brow at him.

“This is a drink that I call, vodka and Root Beer. I didn't invent it, but I did like to drink it as a kid” He says with a shrug of his shoulders and Rory can't tell if he's kidding or not, “You want one?”

“Sure” Rory says, giving him her cup. But… did you really drink this as a kid? No, right?”

Jess chuckles softly. “Sometimes I forget how little you know about my childhood” He shakes his head, then hands back her cup, “I know this will sound unfathomable to you, but yeah. Liz called this an ‘initiation drink’.”

Rory spills a bit of her drink. “A what?!” 

“Yeah… Crazy, huh?” Jess shoots up his eyebrows at her.

“No, not crazy. It's just… wrong! How old were you?”

“I don't know… Eleven or twelve, I think” He says, “Rory, it was ages ago. You really shouldn't be so outraged”.

“Well, too late, I am! God, I… I’m so sorry. I couldn't even imagine being near alcohol before my teen years and you—”

“Rory, don't feel bad that you had a good upbringing. Sure, my childhood might have been dysfunctional in every sense of the word, but it is what it is.”

“You really love saying that, don't you?” Rory scowls at him, crossing her arms, “_It is what it is_. What does that even mean?” She mutters, affecting a deep voice, that was supposed to be her Jess impression.

“Figure it out, Miss English teacher. Isn't that like your job?” He teases, nudging her arm and she narrows her eyes at him, tilting her head.

“Ha-ha. You're very funny” Rory deadpans, “But going back to the underage drinking, should I call child services on your mom? What if she's doing the same thing with Doula?”

“Trust me, she’s not” Jess assures her, but Rory isn't convinced.

“I’m serious! We can't let that happen!”

“Why, so she won't turn out to be as screwed up as me?” He questions, sounding offended.

“Come on, that’s not what I meant!” Rory says, her speech slurred, “You… You know are the most functional person I know. I’m just saying—”

“Rory, let it go. You're drunk and I don't want to talk to you about this” Jess tells her firmly.

“That’s not surprising, considering you never want to talk to me about anything!” She yells, seeming to be unaware of how loudly she's speaking.

“That's not true!”

“Oh, yeah? Then how come you didn't mention that you heard me saying ‘Love you’ before I hung up last night?”

Jess lets out a heavy sigh, then rubs his face with both his palms, trying to process what he just heard. “What on Earth are you talking about?” He asks and Rory gulps.

“Oh, so you didn't hear it…” She grimaces, then downs the rest of her drink, giggling. “Well, this is awkward”.

“Rory. Explain.”

“_Fiiiine_” Rory rolls her eyes then sighs, “Before I ended the call, I said something like ‘Love you, bye’ but it was weird, because I didn't _mean_ to say it. Not that I don't love you, because I do, I’m just saying that I’m not– I’m not _in_ love with you, because I know you have a girlfriend and she's _so_ great, but I was afraid it came out like that. That's… that’s what happened”.

“Okay, so this is why you were acting weird earlier?”

“Yes” Rory nods, then runs a hand through her hair, “Jess, I’m so sorry. I don't want to ruin our friendship. I like what we have, and I thought we had gotten past this—”

“We have” Jess says reassuringly, placing his hands over her shoulders, “You didn't ruin anything, okay?”

“I didn't?”

“No, you didn't. And it's crazy that you think such a small thing could ever jeopardize our friendship. Friends tell other friends they love them, right?”

“I guess” Rory drops her shoulders, “But not all friends are exes, whose history is so complicated it could be turned into a novel, so that's why I freaked”.

“Rory, I love you too. I am, however, _not_ in love with you, okay?” Jess says and Rory gives him a look.

“Because you're in love with Victoria” Rory says, putting a finger to his chest, “Right?”

“Right” Jess responds. “Now see, that wasn't so bad, was it?”

“No… God, I feel like such an idiot. Can we just… not mention this again? For my dignity’s sake?”

“No can do, ma’am” Jess laughs. “I’ll make fun of you about this for a very long time”.

“You're the worst!” Rory protests, but laughs either way, “Okay, we should go back out there…”

Then the two of them go back into the living room and the guests are all completely silent, staring at them. “So, you heard that, huh?” Jess asks, scratching the back of his head and they all nod.

“People, everything's fine! I’m fine, he's fine. We're fine!” Rory says, “We love each other platonically, like I love you all platonically! And—” Before she can continue her drunken rambling, Rory collapses onto the floor.

(…)

After Rory passes out, Jess takes her to her bedroom and puts her in bed. He takes off her shoes and puts a blanket over her. She mumbles something incoherent, then begins to snore softly, and for some reason, that brings a smirk to his face.

He heads out of the room, hoping not to run into Lorelai or Luke because the last thing he wants to do is rehash the events of the evening. All he does want is to go to sleep. Luckily, neither one of them seems to be awake. Jess goes into the bathroom and takes a quick shower, then changes into his pajamas, which are just a black t-shirt with sweatpants.

When he gets back to the living room, he notices that Lorelai set up the couch for him, which is very nice of her. It's still odd to see her being so hospitable to him, so much that he hesitates before getting under the covers.

Jess pulls out his phone and there are three unread texts. One from Matthew, one from Victoria and one from Liz.

**Matthew – 08:32 PM**

_Hey man, hope you got there okay. Hugs from Truncheon! (except from Chris, he's still mad, but it's only because he misses you)_

**Liz – 09:43 PM**

_Hey baby, sorry we couldn't make it to your party. We got stuck in Jersey, so we’ll have to spend the night here. Your sister and I miss you, come by when you can! Xoxoxoxo _

**Victoria – 11:21 PM**

_Hi, you're probably asleep but I just wanted to say that I got here okay and that my mother hasn't tried to kill me (yet). Hope you're having fun in the Hollow. Call me when you get the chance. I love you. _

Jess replies to each one of the texts, then puts his phone down on the coffee table. He's afraid his insomnia will get the best of him again, but instead, he falls asleep almost immediately.

However, a few hours later, there's a knock at the door. Jess hopes someone else will wake up and get it so he doesn't have to get up, but no one does. So, with a groan, he shoots up from couch and heads to the foyer, to see who's outside the door at five in the morning. Jess opens it with a yawn, and the last person — maybe not the last, but that doesn't lessen his shock — he would've expected to be standing there, is.

“Logan” He says and the blond doesn't seem surprised to see him there, but that doesn't stop him from looking any less annoyed.

“Jess” Logan responds curtly, “So, do you live here now? Is that another thing Rory failed to mention?”

“Not exactly and that is none of your business. But the real question is, what the hell are _you_ doing here, huh?”

Before Logan can answer, Rory walks into the foyer, “Hey, who—” She begins to ask lazily, but is immediately sobered by the sight of Logan Huntzberger standing outside her door.

“Logan” Rory breathes, her blue eyes widened.

“You really should've called me back, Ace”.


	4. The One Where Everything is Changing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory and Logan discuss their custody situation. Rory tries to reach out to one of her students.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone!!! hope you're all good! sorry it's been so incredibly long since the last update, but i promise i have a pretty decent excuse for my absence. so, last year, the day before new year's eve, my computer started malfunctioning and it spent the past month getting fixed, and i only got it back two weeks ago, but since school's been back in session, i haven't really had much time to write -- or the inspiration to, if i'm being honest. however, i have a brand new chapter for you guys and i really hope you enjoy it. (also, i'll do my best not to disappear for so long again!)
> 
> happy reading and all reviews are welcome! xo

Rory doesn’t exactly remember how much she drank the night before. Miss Patty brought her infamous punch and since it was a party, why not have a cup, or two? Might as well have been three. Then Jess made her one of his ‘initiation drinks’, they argued, made up right after and went back to the living room, and that’s when Rory apparently passed out.

Truth be told, her tolerance, ever since she gave birth to Richie, has become a joke. For someone who could handle downing two glasses of scotch on an empty stomach before noon not too long ago, the way she now gets tipsy after one glass of wine is almost pathetic.

Rory has no idea how she got to her bedroom, all she does know is that she has this harrowing headache, and for some godforsaken reason, there’s someone at the door. She hopes someone will be a doll and get it, because getting up is out of the question for her now.

She suddenly hears footsteps and the door clicks open. _Victory_. Now she can go back to sleep until she has to get up in… She looks over at the clock on top of the bedside table… an hour. Rory groans. Sure, having a steady income is good, but is it worth getting up at six in the morning every day? Rory’s answer, considering just how tired she is, would be a big, fat _no_.

“_Jess_” Rory hears a familiar voice say from afar. No, it can’t be. “_So, do you live here now? Is that another thing Rory failed to mention?_” The voice continues, and it does sound a hell of a lot like Logan, but what on Earth would Logan be doing in Stars Hollow at… five in the morning on a Wednesday?

Maybe she’s hearing things. Or maybe, this is a very weird dream, her brain’s way of reminding her to return his call. Rory climbs out of bed and decides to see what’s going on for herself. “Hey, who—” She begins to say as she makes her way into the foyer but is stumped when she catches sight of Logan actually standing outside her door.

He looks good. That’s the first thing she notices. He had a beard last time she saw him, and that’s gone now. _Wow. He’s actually here._ Rory thinks to herself. The last time she saw Logan in person was over a year ago, at Richie’s first birthday party, which… did not end well.

“You really should’ve called me back, Ace” Rory hears Logan say, and finally manages to get past her shock, blinking as though she has just snapped out of a trance.

“Logan, what are you doing here? I was going to call you back but—”

“But you didn’t. For a moment there, I thought you were ignoring my calls.”

“I wasn’t” She says, crossing her arms, “I wouldn’t do that. I’ve just been really busy lately.”

“I’m also very busy but I still find the time to return other people’s calls. And when I don’t, my secretary does, but calls are always returned. What if there had been an emergency?”

“Well, I don’t have a secretary. It’s just me, and I forget things. Plus, I doubt that you’d leave me a twelve word message on my voicemail if anyone’s life was in immediate danger”.

Logan sighs. “Okay, fair enough. Now can I come in? It’s freezing out here.”

“It’s September, it’s definitely _not_ freezing.” She snorts.

“So, you’re not gonna let me in? Because you don’t believe it could be cold out in September?”

Rory rolls her eyes and makes way so he can pass through, “Come in, Logan” She drawls. He walks right past Jess, who is still standing there, and hangs his coat on the rack. “Hey, go to the living room, I’ll be right there” Rory says to Logan, and he just hums before doing as asked.

“So, Logan is here” Rory supplies, although she’s highly aware she is just stating the obvious and turns to Jess.

“I’ve noticed” He responds, burying his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants, “Any idea why?”

“None. But if he came all the way here from London, it can’t be good” She inhales sharply, looking over her shoulder in the living room’s direction, “Guess I’ll… go find out now.”

“Want some company?” Jess offers, and it’s nice of him to do so, but Rory knows best than to let those two be in the same room together.

“No, I can handle him on my own, but thanks” She smiles at him kindly.

“Okay, so I’m going to take a walk, maybe get some breakfast, but I’ll see you later” Jess says, grabbing his jacket from the coat rack.

“Okay” Rory replies, and he nods with a smirk on his face, touching her shoulder before he walks out of the house. She closes the door behind her and goes over to the living room.

“So, I see you two finally decided to take the plunge” Logan turns around as he hears her entering the room. “Good for you. Really good.”

“Excuse me?”

“You and Jess. Aren’t you two together now? I mean, he slept here, didn’t he? I’m just saying, I think it’s good for you. For the both of you.”

“Well, thanks for your unnecessary input, but we are not together. And not that I owe you an explanation, but Jess just needed a place to crash, so he slept here, on the couch.”

“You’re right. You don’t owe me an explanation.” Logan says, sitting down on the sofa, “Besides, I didn’t come all the way here to discuss your relationship or in this case, non-relationship with that guy.”

“I should hope not” Rory quips, taking a seat next to him, “So, then, why are you here?”

“First, I wanted to apologize for what happened last time I was here” He begins, not quite looking directly at her, like he’s too embarrassed to, “What I did was… not appropriate and—”

“That’s the understatement of the century”, Rory snorts.

“Heh” Logan lets out a dry chuckle, “I know. I just… I wasn’t in a good place back then. I had too much to drink, things were said…”

“Punches were thrown…”

“That, too. What I’m trying to say is, I want to make things better” Logan says, finally looking Rory in the eye, “I know that I haven’t been around a lot, and that I’ve missed so much, but I want to change that. I want more time with my son.”

“Okay. That can be arranged. But… you flew here, from London, to say that you want to spend more time with Richie? That is a phone call. A very short one, because my answer would be the same, just ‘_Okay’_.”

“Rory, what I meant by that is… I want shared custody. Not a couple more afternoons a year, I want to be a regular part of his life” He explains, and Rory isn’t quite sure if she heard him right. His words echo in her head, but she still can’t seem to make sense out of them. _Shared_ custody?

“How… how would that even work? You live in London, it’s not like I can just hop on a plane and drop him off at your place once or twice a week.”

“I know” He says, rubbing his hands against the fabric of his pants, “I was thinking that maybe he could spend half the year here with you, half the year in England, and we’d divvy up the holidays.”

“No.”

“You haven’t even thought about it! Rory—”

“No! I’m not going to spend half a year without seeing my son!” Her voice comes out louder than she intended, “It’s not happening.”

“I’m not asking you to give me an answer now, I’m not even asking you to give me an answer next week, I’m just asking you to _think_ about it.”

“I _have_ thought about it” Rory says, rising to her feet. “My answer is no.”

“God, I nearly forgot how stubborn you are” Logan huffs, getting up as well. “You’re being unreasonable. It’s not like I’m asking for full custody!”

“Oh, right” She forces out a laugh, incredulous, “At least you’re not asking for _full_ custody. You’re right. In this case, I’m sorry, I overreacted. As long as it isn’t _full_ custody, then it’s all good, by all means, go for it.”

“And now you’re joking! We’re discussing our son’s life and you’re making a joke out of it?”

“Yeah, okay. You know what _is_ a joke? You, coming in here, after a year of not even bothering to visit, asking for shared custody of _my_ son. _That’s_ a joke, Logan.”

“He’s my son too!”

“Well, then where were you, huh? Where the hell were you for the past year and a half?”

“Jesus Christ, I was embarrassed! I didn’t want to come here and be crucified by your entire family for what happened at that party! Don’t you get that?”

“He didn’t know.”

“What?”

“Richie didn’t know. He had no idea what happened. All he did know was that you were his Dad, but you were never here. You sent him a train set made in Poland for his birthday this year, but you weren’t there. But you know who _was_ here? _Me._” Rory’s words spew out of her mouth like shards of glass, and she _wants_ to wound him with them. Maybe she’s being too harsh, unfair even, but Rory can’t bring herself to act rationally when there is blood ringing in her ears. “I was here. I never left. I was always here.”

Logan swallows hard, bowing his head. “I know”, he says quietly.

Rory takes a deep breath, deciding to put her armor down for a moment. Her head hurts, her stomach is growling, and she’s having one of the worst conversations of her life with no food or coffee in her system. She needs a break. “You should leave” She tells him in a small voice, “I can’t do this right now.”

“If not now, when?”

“I don’t know” Rory sighs, “Just… not now.”

Logan doesn’t seem satisfied by her answer, but he doesn’t argue. “Can I at least see him before I go? I have a flight back tomorrow at noon.”

“Sure. He’s asleep now, but you pick him up later and maybe spend the day with him. I have to work either way, so…” She offers, sitting back down.

“You won’t be home, then?”

“No, but I’ll talk to my mom and tell her you’ll come by.”

“Okay” Logan says, before heading to the front door, “I’ll come back later. I’ll… I’ll see you.”

Rory doesn’t respond to that and just lets him go. When she hears the door close, she lets out a deep sigh. This is truly the last thing she needed right now.

After Richie was born, they made an agreement (albeit an unspoken one), that he would live with Rory and Logan would visit from time to time. That arrangement worked. It wasn’t ideal, because Richie did miss his dad, but it was what would be best for all of them. Rory grew up like that and she turned out fine, even if the situation she’s in now is somewhat more complicated. Why would Logan bring this up now? Has he always thought about it? If so, then why _now_?

“Hey, hon, I heard some noise, is everything okay?” Rory suddenly hears her mom call after her from the stairs.

“Yeah, everything’s fine” She forces out a smile. Everything is not fine, but Rory will figure it out. She can’t keep letting her mom solve her problems for her. “It was just… Logan”.

“Logan?” Lorelai quirks up at that and goes down the rest of the steps, plopping down on the couch beside her daughter. “Color me curious. What was he doing here?”

“Oh, he just wanted to see Richie. He has a meeting in Hartford or something, so he’ll come back to pick him up later” Rory explains, even if it’s only partly true. She hates not being fully honest with her mom, but knowing Lorelai, she would probably blow the entire situation out of proportion, and that’s the last thing Rory wants.

“Huh. Was that all? I thought I heard arguing.”

“We weren’t arguing, I was just a bit mad that he didn’t let me know he was coming, but apparently it was a very last minute trip, so…”

“Uh-huh” Lorelai nods, not sounding all that convinced. “And was Jess here when Logan…?”

“Yep. He was the one who opened the door.”

“No way!” Lorelai gasps, “Then what happened?”

“Nothing, really. I overheard them talking and got up before their unfriendly back-and-forth went any further.”

“And where’s Jess now?”

“He went out for a walk so Logan and I could talk. He offered to stay, but it was probably best that he didn’t.”

“Yeah, I mean… after what happened…”

“I know” Rory says. “Well, I’m gonna make some coffee and Pop Tarts. You want some?”

“No, I think I’m gonna go back to bed. I only have to be at the Inn later, so I’ll take the opportunity to sleep in” Lorelai replies, getting up from the couch. “I’ll see you later, sweets.” She places a kiss on Rory’s forehead and heads upstairs.

“Bye Mom” Rory mutters quietly, before going over to the kitchen.

After dumping the rest of the old pot to make a new one and turning on the coffee maker, Rory goes into her bedroom and hovers over Richie’s bed, watching him sleep. She really can’t imagine spending half a year without seeing him every day. It’s crazy that Logan would even _think_ she could. But it doesn’t matter, because she won’t.

Rory grabs her phone from the bedside table and looks through the contacts on her phone. She presses the call button, and it goes straight to voicemail, but Rory leaves a message either way. “Hey Paris, it’s Rory. Do you happen to know any good lawyers? Please call me back as soon as you can.”

…

Jess really should’ve put some shoes on before he decided to go on that walk. Good thing is that there’s hardly anyone around at this hour – not that they would care if he was wandering around town wearing his pajamas and with slippers on, but…

He decides to go to Luke’s, hoping he could change and get something to eat.

When Jess gets there, Luke isn’t around, but Caesar is handling things. It’s quite early, so there are only five costumers inside. Just an elderly couple, the grump from the hardware store and… Kirk.

“Hey, Caesar. I’m going upstairs, but I’ll come back down soon to help out” He tells him and doesn’t really wait for a response before heading up to the apartment, that is still filled with countless boxes.

Jess tries to make his way through the apartment, and moves a box labeled “WILL NEVER WEAR AGAIN”, which he assumes belongs to Lorelai, out of the way so he can get to his suitcase. He takes out a black t-shirt, jeans, boxers and socks along with a bag with toiletries, then goes over to the bathroom to take a quick shower.

“Oh, you have got to be kidding me” Jess groans, seeing that there are boxes even inside the _bathroom_. He puts down his stuff and gets each and every one of them out so he can at least shower without having to worry about being trampled to death by a bunch of cardboard boxes.

Finally, Jess manages to take a shower and get dress, so he dries off his hair with a towel and heads back downstairs. Now there are more people inside, but the place is still pretty much dead. Jess grabs himself a powdered donut and before he can even put the thing back on, Caesar yells after him: “Lid!”, something he probably learned from his boss.

“Jeez, I got it!” Jess says with his mouth full, before putting the plastic lid back on. He then moves over to get himself some coffee.

“Hey Jess, can I get a refill?” Kirk, who’s sitting on the counter, asks. He seems to be thoroughly invested in whatever it is on the magazine he has in hand, so much that he doesn’t even look up.

“Sure” Jess fills up his cup, then frowns, letting his curiosity get the best of him. “What you reading?” He asks as he grabs another donut, and it takes a lot of restraint for him to refrain from making a dirty magazine joke.

“Just this article on conception. Did you know that _oysters_ are the world’s number one fertility boosters?” Kirk replies, and Jess begins to regret engaging with him in the first place.

“Oh, so you and Lulu are trying to have kids?”

“Yeah, but it’s not going very well” Kirk lets out a sigh, putting the magazine down on the counter, looking awfully solemn. “Do you happen to have any tips?”

“Tips?”

“On what is the best way to conceive a baby” He clarifies.

“How would I know that, Kirk? I don’t even _have_ kids”.

“Well, a lot of people still think you could be Richie’s father—”

“What?”

“Yeah, the poll is still going! I bet a lot of money on you, so are you sure you’re not the father? Has a paternity test been—"

“Yes, I’m sure” Jess cuts in, rolling his eyes, “Don’t you people have anything better to do than come up with stupid theories about things you already know the answer to?”

“Do we, though?” Kirk insists, narrowing his eyes at him and Jess lets out an exasperated sigh.

“Goodbye Kirk, and good luck with the baby” He decides to cut the conversation short before it goes any further and goes into the back to finish eating the rest of his breakfast in peace, hearing Kirk protest from afar.

As soon as sits down on the floor, behind the door, his phone starts to vibrate in his pocket, and it’s Victoria who’s calling. He taps the green button and puts his phone to his ear. “Hey, what are you doing up so early?”

“I have barely slept, actually” She replies with a yawn, “This house is _creepy_. Everything creaks. The floorboards, the stairs, even the doors! It’s straight out of a horror movie.”

Jess tries not to laugh at that. “Why would your mom buy such an old house? She could easily have bought a beachside condo instead.”

“Oh, that sounds like a dream” Victoria sighs wistfully, “And it’s because, according to her, it is an ‘original Victorian mansion’. Apparently those are _very_ in right now.”

“Are they?”

“Who knows. All I do know is that Olivia and Francis are getting here today and they’re bringing the kids, so we’re going to _Disneyland_ later.”

“How did you just make going to what is supposed to be the most magical place on Earth sound like a death sentence?”

“Trust me, when you’ve had your nieces throw up on you three times when riding the Magic Mountain, that place loses _all_ its magic.”

Jess twists his face with disgust. That is not a nice image to have. “Gross, I just ate.”

“Sorry! Um, anyways, how are you? How’s everyone?”

“I’m fine. Everyone’s good too” He replies, “Stars Hollow is… the same. You sneeze once today, it’s on the front page of the Gazette the next morning. You know the drill.”

“Ah, regretting the move already?”

“No, not yet, at least. What about you? Was Florida really a bad idea?’

“Oh_, definitely_. I can’t believe I took a week off work for this.”

“Look on the bright side, at least you don’t have to look through a dozen crappy manuscripts every day for a week.”

“That would be preferable to this, trust me.”

“Come on, it can’t be _that_ bad.”

“When did I become the cynic one in this relationship again?”

“Being around your mother tends to have that effect on you” Jess teases and Victoria can’t help but laugh.

“Yeah, you’re right” She says, “But, surprisingly, she hasn’t been that bad. She didn’t even ask me if I’ve gained weight when I got here.”

“Huh. And you’re still sure she invited you there to murder you in your sleep?”

“Well, that or she feels bad about what happened at the wedding and this little family gathering is her way of apologizing. But I do think her plotting my death is more likely.”

“Let’s hope that’s not the case, then. I’d miss you.”

“Jess Mariano, did you just say something sappy _casually_?” Victoria gasps theatrically.

“It was _not_ sappy!”

“It’s not a bad thing, honey! Oh, how do you feel about pet names now? Because I have a few options for you. There’s honey – that’s a classic, babe – kind of lame, but also a classic, and—”

“Okay, I’m hanging up now!”

“Fine, sorry, I’ll stop” She chuckles, “Hey, listen, I gotta go, but I’ll call you later.”

“I’ll _think_ about answering it.”

“Jess!”

“Kidding. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Okay. Oh, and Mariano?”

“Yeah?”

“I miss you.”

“Huh, who’s the sap now?”

“And to think I was gonna suggest phone sex later…” Victoria sighs loudly.

Jess laughs. “I miss you too”, he says.

“Only saying that because I brought up phone sex” She clicks her tongue in mock-disapproval. Shame on you, mister.”

“How’d you know?” 

“Very funny. Bye, Jess.”

“Bye.”

Jess ends the call and puts his phone back in his pocket. He gets up and finishes his coffee, stopping by the kitchen to put his used cup in the dishwasher. When he gets back to the dining room, Rory is coming into the diner. Jess can’t quite tell what she’s thinking by the look on her face, but it doesn’t seem like the talk with Logan went all that well.

“Hey” He greets her with a smirk as she sits down at one of the stools.

“Hi. Coffee?” She smiles back, but it feels forced.

“Sure” Jess nods his head, and slides a red mug over to her, filling it up with fresh, hot coffee.

“Thanks” Rory says, immediately taking a sip, and she closes her eyes for a second, taking in the warmth of the drink.

“So… how are you doing?” He asks, resting his elbows on the countertop.

“I’m fine. Just… hungover” She half-chuckles, looking down at her cup, almost refusing to make eye contact.

“Hungover, huh?”

“Yeah, I drank a lot last night, remember? Rumor has it I even passed out?”

“Okay, give me this” Jess takes the mug away from her and then dumps it into a to-go cup, and Rory protests.

“Hey! I was drinking that!”

“Wait a minute, junkie” He rolls his eyes, filling up the paper cup with more coffee. Jess then grabs two forks and an apple pie that still hadn’t been sliced, and circles the counter, heading towards the door. “Come on, let’s go” He urges Rory, who frowns at him.

“Go where?”

“You’ll see. Now, walk.”

Rory hesitantly straps her purse to her shoulder and decides to follow his lead anyway. They walk out of the diner, Jess leading the way, and Rory following close behind – as far as she can in heels. “Jess, where are we going?” She asks as they pass the high school.

“You know, it’s a little disappointing that you don’t know it by now” He tells her over his shoulder, and that’s when Rory realizes it.

“The bridge. You’re taking me to the bridge.”

“Ding, ding, ding. Now let’s keep going.” Jess says, and they go down the short path to the bridge.

Rory hasn’t been there in months, but it looks exactly the same. The water glistens with the sunlight, even if it’s cloudy, and it feels peaceful. The familiarity of being there with Jess again is… comforting. Feels safe.

He sits down first, legs dangling above the water, and Rory does the same. Jess hands her the cup of coffee and one of the forks, keeping the other one for himself. “So, here we are. Now talk.” He demands, taking the first bite out of the pie.

“Talk about what?” Rory feigns innocence and takes a large sip from her coffee.

“Rory” Jess gives her a look, and she sighs.

“Fine. What do you want to know?”

“Maybe tell me what happened after I left?”

“Oh.” She just stares at her hands on her lap, fidgeting with her fingers. _Where to begin? _Rory thinks to herself.

“Yeah, _oh_. Was it that bad?”

“Worse” Rory huffs, putting her hair behind her ear. “Logan… He wants shared custody of Richie.” She admits, and every single word feels awfully weighted, but a kind of relief washes over her as she finally allows herself to say them out loud.

Jess’ eyes widen. “What?”

“That’s what I said, too.”

“He can’t do that, can he? I mean, the guy hasn’t seen his kid in over a year and he thinks he can just show up and drop this on you out of nowhere?”

“Well, he _is_ the father” She shrugs, letting out a deep breath.

Jess scoffs. “That doesn’t mean much.”

“I don’t think a judge will see it that way” Rory says solemnly.

“A judge?” Jess checks, knitting his eyebrows together. “You’re getting lawyers involved?”

“Not right away, but I think I should be prepared for it. I left a message on Paris’ voicemail after he left, and when she gets back to me, I’ll ask if she knows any good lawyers in the area, which she probably does.”

“That’s smart” He nods, “But where is this coming from? Why would he bring this up _now_?”

“Beats me” Rory scratches the back of her neck, “I think something might be off with Logan. He seemed… better, than when I saw him last, but he wasn’t quite… himself. I don’t know.”

“Huh.”

“Yeah.”

“Hey… I’m sorry” Jess tells her, his lips quirked into a slight smile.

“I know. Thank you.” Rory smiles back, and they fall into a comfortable silence, continuing to share the pie.

The wind soughs and rustles the leaves on the trees. The cold breeze brushes up against Rory’s face, and as she glances over at Jess when he isn’t looking, she knows that even if it doesn’t feel like it right now, things would be okay, because _he’s there_.

(…)

Rory’s last class of the day is just about to end. Before the bell rings, the students leave their essays on The Grapes of Wrath on her desk, one by one. Alex is the last one to put her paper on the pile, and before she can leave, Rory calls after her. “Miss Becker, can you hang back for a minute?”

“Yes?” The girl raises her eyebrows at Rory expectantly, tugging on the strap of her messenger bag.

“Have you heard about the writing contest the school is hosting?”

“I have. Why?”

“Well, I think it would be good if you did. You’re a gifted writer, Alex. I mean, I’ve only been your teacher for a few days, but I saw it from day one. You really have a shot at winning this thing.” Rory knows that compliments are probably not the best way to win her trust, but she means everything she says, even if by the look on Alex’s face, she doesn’t believe her.

“I don’t know, Miss G. Participating in school activities isn’t exactly my _thing_”. Not a ‘no’ right away. _Huh_. Rory will take this as a win, because God knows she needs one today.

“Would a $200 cash prize help pique your interest?”

Alex quirks up at that. “A cash prize?” She checks.

“Yeah, whoever wins the contest wins two hundred bucks. It’s not a lot, at least not for this school but—”

“It’s still money.”

“Exactly. It’s still money.”

Alex bites her lower lip, seeming to be starting to consider it and Rory fights back a smile. “I’ll… think about it. Can I go now?” She says finally, and Rory chuckles softly.

“Yeah, you can go. But remember you only have until the week after homecoming to decide!” Rory tells her as she’s on her way to the door, and Alex just gives her a thumbs up, feigning enthusiasm, walking out of the classroom.

Rory can’t help but to smile a little and begins to gather her things so she can go home. She makes her way to the parking lot, and just as she’s about to leave, Andrew catches up to her. “Miss Gilmore!”

“Oh, hey Mr. Reid” She stops and then half-turns to face him.

“Please, call me Andrew” He smirks, “I’m sorry, I just saw you and wanted to congratulate you on getting so many students to sign up for the contest. The turnout has been very pleasing.”

“Gee, thank you” Rory smirks back, putting a strand of loose hair behind her ear. “But how do you know I had anything to do with that?”

“Considering most of the pupils who did sign up were your students, I’d say you _did_ have something to do with that.”

“Wow, really?”

“You sound surprised.”

“I am. I mean, I talked to them about it, but I didn’t expect anyone to actually sign up. That’s… that’s amazing.”

“I couldn’t agree more. Well, I won’t keep you any longer” Andrew clasps his hands together, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Miss Gilmore.”

“I’ll see you” She bows her head a bit shyly, and he does the same, raising his hand as to say goodbye before he heads to the faculty parking lot. “Hey, Andrew?” Rory calls after him.

“Yeah?”

“Call me Rory.”

That elicits a chuckle from him. “Alright. I’ll see you tomorrow, Rory.” He says with a grin and walks away.

Rory makes her way to her car, feeling a bit better -- so much that she doesn’t even mind the traffic on the way back to Stars Hollow, and just focuses on the Go-Go’s album she has playing on the stereo.

Home at last, Rory parks her car on the driveway and as she steps out of the car, a midnight blue Maserati drives up, and Rory immediately recognizes it as Logan’s car. She checks her wristwatch and it’s nearly 6 pm, the time he said he’d be back to drop Richie off. Well, at least he seems to have been working on his punctuality.

“Hey” He says as he hops out of the car and sees her standing there, and then moves to take Richie out of his car seat. “Come on, buddy, let’s go say hi to Mommy” Rory can hear him say as he closes the car door, with their son in his arms.

“Hi, my love” Rory says to her son as Logan hands him over to her, giving him a bunch of kisses, “I missed you! Did you have fun with Daddy?”

“Yep” Richie replies with a shrug, wrapping his little arms around her neck, “Can I go watch TV now?” He asks, tilting his head to the side.

“Yeah, go on, honey” She nods, putting him down, and Richie runs up to Logan before he goes into the house.

“Bye Daddy!” He hugs Logan’s legs and then he crouches down so he’s at eye-level with Richie.

“I’ll see you soon, okay? I love you” Logan tells him, giving him a tight hug.

“Love you!” Richie responds before running towards the front door.

“Careful!” Rory admonishes, afraid he’ll trip. She sees Lorelai open the door, but she can’t quite make out what she’s saying when she lets Richie inside. Rory inhales deeply, then turns to Logan.

“So, did you two have a good day?”

“Yeah. I took him to see my mother in Hartford, then we just spent some time there. Honor came by with Penelope, and she and Richie played together a little. She says hi.”

“Who? Penny or your sister?”

“My sister. But Penny also says hi.”

“Heh, I haven’t seen that girl in forever. She must be so big now.”

“She is. It’s crazy” Logan laughs softly, “Kids… they grow up so fast.” He adds, a bit solemnly, and Rory knows exactly what he means by that. She wishes she could sympathize with him, but it was _his_ choice not to see his son for a year, even if he might regret it now.

“Logan… what is going on with you?” Rory questions a bit tersely and he frowns in response.

“Sorry?”

“You seem off. Not like yourself. Did something happen?”

“Oh, so just because I wanted to come see my son I’m not acting like myself?” He snaps defensively, and Rory isn’t surprised. Classic Logan, always trying to turn things into something they’re not.

“I didn’t say that. I’m just concerned about you, but if you want to be an ass about it, then be my guest” She retorts, folding her arms over her chest.

“I’m sorry. I’m just… stressed. I didn’t mean to—”

“I know. But seriously, what’s up? Is it work?”

“No, it’s not work” He shakes his head, looking down at his shoes, “Odette and I… we’re getting a divorce. She served me with the papers three weeks ago.”

For a moment, Rory is stunned. A _divorce_? Of course, when Rory heard that they we’re going through with the wedding, even after Odette found out about the affair and her pregnancy, she thought it was odd, to say the least.

Rory didn’t want to marry Logan herself — even if he offered to do so —, however, she couldn’t see why Odette would, not after everything that happened, but she did anyway. And they seemed happy. At least that’s the impression Rory had.

“You’re getting divorced?”

“Yeah… it’s been a long time coming, but… it’s still hard.”

“Did she at least tell you why?”

“She didn’t have to. Things haven’t been good between us for a long time, and I guess she finally had enough. I don’t blame her, though. I messed up, so many times, and I don’t even know how she still married me after… you know.”

“Yeah, I know” Rory sighs, “I really am sorry, Logan.”

“Thank you.” The ghost of a smile appears on his face, but it almost instantly fades. “Look, about what happened this morning, I meant what I said. And I know it upsets you, I mean, how could you not be? But this has been on my mind for a while, and I really wish we could find another way but—”

“There isn’t one, is there?”

“I’m afraid not.”

“How did we end up here? Sometimes I feel like more has changed the past three years than in the past decade, and it’s a lot. Especially now.”

“A string of bad choices would be my guess” He attempts at a joke, and Rory almost smiles, “But at least something good came out of it, right?”

“Yeah. That it did.”

They both fall silent for a moment, pulling with their clothes, unsure of what to say next. “Listen, it’s been a long day, so I should go inside” Rory decides to be the one to break said silence, “We’ll… talk soon. Have a safe flight.”

“Thanks. And Rory?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry again.”

Rory exhales softly through her nose. “So am I.” She says.

(…)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, that was.... that. i hope you had a good time reading it, i know it's not the most exciting chapter, but it's kind of important for the plot, sooo....  
i don't think i have any more notes except feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments and till next time!


	5. The One With the Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jess finds an idea for his novel. Rory keeps the custody situation a secret from Lorelai.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone!! hope it hasn't been /too/ long, and that you're all doing well. not sure how i feel about this chapter, but it is kind of necessary for the story to keep going. anyway, i hope you enjoy it and comments are always appreciated! happy reading xo

It’s late, but Rory is still up grading papers and on her third cup of coffee that evening. It probably isn’t wise to ingest this much caffeine before bed, but Rory thinks she might be immune to its effects by now, so she doesn’t have to worry about being too wired to fall asleep.

Although coffee may not keep her up, the thought of this custody situation just might.

Paris still hasn’t returned her call, and that makes Rory feel like she is already running out of time. She knows that Logan will soon be lawyering up with the best attorneys money can afford, so she _needs_ to be prepared. Losing is simply not an option here.

Luke and Lorelai have already gone to bed, so the Gilmore girl sits alone in the kitchen, with only a pile of essays and a half-empty cup of coffee to keep her company. The house is never this silent, which is strange. The sound of the wind howling outside makes it eerie, even.

Rory marks the last the paper on the pile with a B+ in red ink, then slides the essays back into a folder. She finishes her coffee, then gathers the rest of her stuff before walking over to her room.

Before going to bed, Rory puts her things on her desk and places a kiss on Richie’s forehead, who has been sound asleep for hours.

She lets her head hit the pillow and closes her eyes, trying to clear her head so she can sleep — or at least try to.

And Rory does manage to fall asleep for a while, until she suddenly wakes at 4 AM from a nightmare.

In it, she saw herself in court while the judge ruled in Logan’s favor, giving him full custody of Richie, and Rory couldn’t move or speak. She just watched as her son was taken away from her, standing there, completely helpless.

Rory sits up, breathing in and out, trying to get rid of the lump in her throat as she kept herself from crying. She then looks over at Richie, who is still peacefully asleep and sighs…. It was only a dream.

Well, dream or not, it still left this unsettling feeling in her gut. So much that Rory is now wide awake, unable to fall back asleep.

She climbs out of bed and grabs the cardigan that was hanging on the back of the chair by her desk, and puts it on, because it’s even more chilly now that it was the night before.

Rory dumps the rest of the old pot of coffee to make a fresh one and opens the cabinet to get the coffee blend, but as it turns out, they’re _out_. For the first time in her entire life, there is no coffee in the house. Zero. None. How is this even possible?

Before announcing defeat, an idea pops into her head. There may not be coffee there, but there is always coffee in the _diner_. And Rory knows exactly where Luke hides the spare key. Was it ideal, having to walk all the way to Luke’s for coffee? No. But desperate times call for desperate measures.

Quickly, Rory puts on her sneakers and walks out of the house through the back door, taking only her phone with her.

It is cold outside, so she makes her way through the deserted town as fast as she can.

Finally, Rory finds herself in front of the diner. She reaches for the key hidden above the doorframe, and goes in, thankful for the heat that stops her shivering as soon as she walks through the door.

Jess is probably asleep upstairs, so Rory tries not to make any noise. The coffee maker isn’t hard to figure out and the smell of the coffee brewing is exhilarating.

Rory leans against the counter to wait, but accidentally knocks over a couple of napkin holders, and the sound of the metal clattering on the floor makes her wince. She just hopes that it wasn’t loud enough to wake Jess up.

Rory exhales sharply and then turns to pour herself some coffee, when she hears Jess’ voice coming from the stairs. “Who is there?” He demands, before he storms through the curtain, wielding a baseball bat as a weapon, which makes Rory put down the mug and raise up her hands in mock-surrender, trying not to laugh.

As he realizes who the supposed burglar is, Jess puts down the bat and his face falls. “What on Earth are you doing here?” He asks.

“We were out of coffee” Rory grimaces and gestures vaguely at the coffee maker, before raising an eyebrow at him teasingly. “You really thought the diner was being robbed? You do realize this is Stars Hollow, right?”

Jess rolls his eyes at her. “In my defense, I also thought it could be a raccoon.”

“A raccoon?” She can’t help but chuckle, moving to fill her cup with the freshly brewed coffee. “And you were going to attack the poor thing with a baseball bat?”

“I wasn’t going to hit it, I was just gonna… wave it around to try and scare it off” He explains with a shrug, and that only makes her laugh more.

“But it’s four in the morning, what are you even doing up?” Jess questions and Rory sighs as she takes a sip of her coffee.

“I had… this dream. A bad one. And it felt so real that it woke me up, and I couldn’t go back to sleep” She tells him, and he nods slowly.

“Wanna talk about it?”

Rory sighs again. “Okay. So, in it, I was standing in court and then… the judge ruled in Logan’s favor, and gave him full custody of Richie. And I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak… It was awful.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah.”

“Hey, it was only a dream. You know that won’t happen for real.” He says, “You do know that, right?”

“I guess” She replies, putting her mug down on the counter, eyes darting over to her shoes. “I don’t know, Jess. I never thought I’d be in a situation like this. But again, I thought I’d _be_ with the person I had kids with. This wasn’t my plan. Nothing seems to be working out the way I thought it would.”

“That’s just life. Nothing ever works out the way we think it will, not exactly, anyway.” Jess tells her and Rory looks up at him with a slight smile on her face. “But… whatever happens, I know you’ll get through it, because that’s just who you are.”

_How does he do it? How is it that Jess always knows the right things to say?_ Rory wonders to herself. “When did you become so wise again?” She sniffles, then lets out a half-chuckle. Jess smirks in response.

“Guess that’s what happens when life kicks you around.” His tone is playful, but there is still some truth to what he says.

“Life did kick you around, huh?” She wraps her arms around her middle and can’t help but look and sound a little sad. Rory doesn’t pity Jess — because she knows that is the last thing he’d want —, but sometimes she wishes life had been a little kinder to him.

“Eh, nothing I couldn’t take” Jess responds, waving a hand dismissively.

“That’s true” Her corners of her mouth quirk up. “Hey, Jess?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m really glad you’re here.”

Her words seem to take him by surprise, given that his eyes widen a little and he blinks as though he isn’t sure he heard her right. “Thanks. I’m… I’m glad I’m here too.” He says quietly, with a smirk on his face.

“Um—” Rory begins to say, but her phone starts to ring. She takes it out of her pocket and sees Paris’ name displayed on the screen. “Sorry, I have to take this. It’s Paris.”

“Sure, go ahead” Jess responds with a nod, circling the counter to get himself some coffee.

“Hello? Paris?”

“Rory! Is everything okay? Why do you need a lawyer’s number?” Paris asks a bit frantically, “Please don’t tell me you got arrested _again_. What did you steal this time? No, let me guess: a cruise ship. I mean, that’s the only thing bigger than a yacht, right?”

“Paris! I did _not_ steal a boat!”

“Oh, thank God. Then what’s wrong?”

“It’s a long story—” Rory then hears a flight number being announced in the background, “Wait, are you at the airport?”

Paris lets out a groan. “Yes. I’m heading back to New York now. Doyle has the kids for the week, but then Gabriela broke her wrist at her figure skating practice, and I had to get on a plane to sort everything out at the hospital, because as it turns out, everyone who works in that place is a complete moron.”

“Oh, no! The poor thing. How is Gabriela doing?”

“She’s fine now. Will have to wear a cast for a few weeks, but the damage wasn’t severe. I think Doyle was more freaked out than she was.”

That makes Rory chuckle softly. “And how are things between you two?”

“We’re still separated, if that’s what you’re asking” Paris says with a sigh, “The kids are homeschooled, so they spend a week with me and then a week with him, and it works. But…”

“You miss him?”

Her voice softens a little. “Yeah, I do.”

“Are you sure you can’t figure things out?”

“I don’t know. He did suggest couples therapy a couple of weeks ago. It’s all the rage in LA, apparently.”

“Maybe you should do it. I mean, therapy _could_ help.”

“Well, I guess we’ll see. Now, will you finally tell me why you need a lawyer?”

“About that… when I tell you, I need you to promise you won’t get _too_ mad.”

“Mad? Why would I get mad?”

“Just promise me this.”

“Jeez, fine! I promise. Now spill.”

Rory inhales deeply. “Logan asked for shared custody of Richie yesterday, and I obviously said no, so there is a chance we’ll have to get lawyers involved.”

“What?!”

“I told you not to get mad!”

“How could I not be mad?! You’re telling me deadbeat Daddy Warbucks wants shared custody of _your_ kid? He’s got some balls, that guy, I’ll give him that but—”

“Paris, trust me, I’m mad too. I’m furious, actually. But I kind of really need to meet with a lawyer as soon as possible. Can you recommend me a good firm? Even if it’s in New York, I’ll do whatever it takes to win this thing.”

“Screw that, _I’ll _represent you.”

“What?”

“I’m a certified lawyer, Rory, and nothing would bring me greater joy than kicking Logan Huntzberger’s ass in court. Please let me do this for you.”

“Look, I appreciate the offer, however I… I think you’re a little too close to this.”

“Am not!”

“You are, and I love you for it, but—”

“I get it. I’ll find you a few options. Oh, and are you sure you can afford to hire a lawyer? I mean, with a teacher’s salary… I’d assume you’re not swimming in gold coins like your Scrooge McDuck of an ex-boyfriend.”

Rory rolls her eyes at that. “Well, I still have a part of the money my grandfather left me. I used some of it to pay for my Masters, but I’m sure it’s enough to afford a lawyer, Paris.”

“Fine. I’ll give some firms I know a call and tell them you’re my best friend, so they don’t rip you off.”

“Thank you, Paris.”

“Anytime. And Rory?”

“Yeah?”

“You got this.” Paris says and that brings a smile to Rory’s face.

“You think so?”

“I know so” Her friend assures her, “Oh, they just called my flight. I’ll make those calls later today and I’ll keep you posted, okay?”

“Okay. Safe travels.”

“Thanks, I’ll—” Paris then stops mid-sentence and turns to yell at someone, making Rory put her phone slightly away from her ear for a second. “Hey! Out of my way, grandma! This is not the mall, some of us have a flight to catch!”

“Sorry about that” Paris says in a calmer tone, “I’ll talk to you later. Bye.”

“Bye, Paris.”

Rory ends the call and finds Jess looking at her expectantly as he snacks on a sprinkled donut. “So, what’s next?” He asks.

“I guess… we wait. Paris will talk to some of the lawyers she shows at a few firms, and then she’ll call me back.”

“You feeling more relaxed now?”

“Hardly. But… I think I’ll be okay.”

“I know you will” Jess tells her, then lifts the lid from the donut case, his eyebrows shooting up. “Donut?”

“Do you even have to ask?” Rory tells him, reaching for one of the jelly donuts and Jess chuckles softly.

Rory meant what she said. Even if things are tough and the road ahead seems dark right now, at least she knows she has some pretty great people in her corner to guide her through it.

(…)

Ever since the expansion, Lorelai has had to learn how to delegate, because she can’t be in two places at once. Yet — so she says.

The spa is being run by Michel and at the Inn, they have hired an assistant manager to help out, so Lorelai doesn’t have to do everything on her own. She was against the idea at first, but after meeting Kate, Lorelai’s mind instantly changed.

Also, after Richie was born, she chose to work less hours so she could help Rory out, especially when she was attending classes to get her master’s degree. Lorelai didn’t mind it, though. He is such a sweet kid, much like Rory was at his age, and she can watch him and still manage to get some work done, because he hardly ever causes any trouble. Also, getting to spend time with her grandson is not half bad, either.

“Lorelai, so sorry to bother you, but could you confirm this order for the Bianchi wedding?” Kate knocks once and then walks into Lorelai’s office, holding a clipboard in her hands.

“Sure, let me see” Lorelai offers a kind smile as she puts on her reading glasses to look through the document, “It all checks out. I’ll just sign it here and… Here you go.” She hands the clipboard back to Kate, who takes it and then holds it up against her chest.

“Thanks.” She grins. “Your grandson isn’t here today?”

“Oh, no. My husband has him for the day, which is a bummer, but at least the kid will eat something healthy for a change.” Lorelai chuckles then puts on a serious face, “Please don’t call social services on us.”

Kate laughs at that. “You got it. Um, is there anything you need me to do?”

“Yes. Go on your lunch break!”

“I don’t need a lunch break, I mean I just ate this banana muffin and—”

“Kate. Please go take a break. This place is _dead_. Why don’t you take a stroll around the town?”

“A stroll?” Kate checks, making a face.

“Yes. It’ll be good to get some fresh air, you’ll see.”

“Fine” She begrudgingly concedes, shrugging her shoulders. “I’ll see you in a bit, then.”

“Atta girl!” Lorelai yells after her as Kate leaves the room.

Lorelai continues to check what needs to get done before the holiday season arrives and is continuously frustrated when she can’t quite figure out some things on her computer, but refuses to call Michel for help, because Lorelai _knows_ he’ll go on and on about how technology isn’t that hard to work with — even if she disagrees.

A few minutes later, there is another knock on the door. “Kate, you cannot be back already—” Lorelai begins to say before she looks up from her computer, only to find Rory standing there instead of her over-eager assistant manager.

“Kate was refusing to take a lunch break again?” Rory asks with a slight smirk, and her mother sighs.

“Seriously, one of these days I’m gonna have to force her to go on vacation” Lorelai shakes her head as she closes her laptop, making Rory laugh.

“I mean, you could try” Rory shrugs, “Anyway, are you free for lunch? I kind of have to go to the mall to buy some new clothes and thought we could maybe do a little ‘one of each’ in the food court afterwards?”

Lorelai immediately perks up at that. “Ooh, that sounds fun. I do need some new boots…”

“Great! Come on, get your purse. I’ll drive” Rory rises to her feet and Lorelai grabs her bag, following her lead out of the room.

Rory’s car is parked at the Inn’s driveway, so they get in and listen to a Cindi Lauper album on the way to the mall in Woodbury. They talk about their days and discuss what they should order for dinner later tonight — even if Luke insists they don’t have to order takeout when he can cook — but there is one thing in Lorelai’s mind that she chooses not to bring up just yet.

Ever since Logan’s visit the day before, she has noticed that Rory has been acting a little off. Lorelai can’t pinpoint exactly what’s wrong, but she has a feeling that her daughter isn’t being completely honest with her. Fine, she’s an adult, and adults are allowed to keep things from their mothers, but Lorelai didn’t think that rule applied to them, too.

Should Lorelai try to get Rory to tell her about whatever is bothering her? Or should she just give it time, and hope that Rory comes to her when she’s ready? The second option is by far the soundest, but oh, does it completely go against Lorelai’s nature.

“Mom? Did you hear what I said?” Rory’s voice suddenly breaks through Lorelai’s reverie.

“Huh? Sorry, hon. What did you say?”

“I asked if we should eat or shop first. What do you think?”

“Oh, definitely shop. Food will be our reward for having to carry so many bags with only two arms” Lorelai’s eyebrows shoot up impishly, and Rory smiles.

“Agreed” Rory says as she parks the car, and the two get out.

The Gilmore girls go to nearly every store at the mall, and get to the food court with way more bags than they’d anticipated — but at least they’ve settled on dinner: they’ll be ordering Indian from Sandeep’s (even if Lorelai still insists they will have to burn down the house afterwards to get rid of the smell).

“Okay, you’ll do nachos and pizza and I’ll get the corndogs and pretzels” Lorelai tells Rory as they sit down at a table, putting down their shopping bags.

“Wait, who’s gonna watch our stuff? Also, we need drinks.”

“You’re right… Then you stay, and I’ll get the food.”

“Are you sure you can carry that much stuff?” Rory checks.

“Kid. Please. You do know who you’re talking to, right?” Lorelai gives her a look and Rory just raises her hands in mock-surrender as her mother leaves to get the food.

A little while passes and Lorelai returns, triumphantly balancing two full trays, one in each hand. “I told ya” She says, sitting back down.

“I’ll never question your abilities again” Rory replies, grabbing a pretzel and a bottle of mustard and Lorelai chuckles softly.

“This is nice. We never hang out anymore.”

“Mom, we live together. We hang out all the time!”

“No… I mean, just the two of us.”

“Oh. Yeah, I guess it has been a while. But I’m glad we’re doing this.”

That brings a smile to Lorelai’s face. “Me too.”

_Come on, Rory. Isn’t this a good time to tell Mommy what’s wrong? _Lorelai thinks to herself as she snacks on her nachos, looking at Rory expectantly.

“What?” Her daughter says with a mouth full, noticing she’s staring.

“Oh, nothing. You just have a little mustard on your face” Lorelai responds and Rory frowns.

“Did I get it?” Rory asks after wiping the corners of her mouth with a napkin.

“Yeah” Lorelai nods.

The two eat in silence and Lorelai is tortured by her worries as she chooses to continue to give Rory her space, because it _is_ the right thing to do. But… doing the right thing is still hard.

(…)

Luke is in Hartford running some errands while he babysits Richie and Caesar had to leave to go to his daughter’s ballet recital, so Jess is left in charge of running the diner. It has been a while since he last handled things on his own, but Jess isn’t worried. After all, it isn’t exactly rocket science.

It’s the middle of the afternoon, meaning the lunch hour rush is over, so there are only a couple of customers inside, which gives Jess some time to catch up on his reading with some peace and quiet.

That is, until Taylor Doose walks in.

The man drops a large binder on top of one of the tables, then slumps into a chair, with a look of defeat on his face, one that is almost worrying. Of course, Taylor is known for overreacting, so Jess just lets him be and continues to read his book.

Or at least tries.

Taylor keeps sighing loudly every five seconds, which, after a little while, starts to get on Jess’ nerves. It reminds him of how his mother used to do the same thing to get his attention whenever he was busy doing something else, and that makes it even more irritating.

The incessant sighing continues, and being on his last nerve, Jess gives in. He closes his book, then walks over to where Taylor is sitting. “Okay, what is the matter?” He demands, and the man sighs _again_.

“Why do you care?” Taylor muses, and Jess tries not to roll his eyes at that.

“I don’t, but you’ve been sighing and moaning for the past ten minutes, so clearly something’s wrong. What is it?”

“_Fine_… if you insist” Taylor gestures at the vacant chair, inviting Jess to join him at the table, and he reluctantly does so.

“So?”

“For years I’ve been saying that the story behind the Firelight Festival is historically inaccurate, but no one is this town has ever believed me!” The man slams his hand against the binder and turns it over for Jess to read the page he’s marked, one with a poem about the story of how the town was founded. “See? It says that the stars led them to one another, but that is simply untrue!”

“How do you know that’s not true?”

“Young man, I am the president of the Stars Hollow Historical Society, I think I know what I’m talking about!”

“Jeez, forget I asked” Jess grumbles. “Then if the stars didn’t lead them to each other, what happened?”

“Glad you asked!” Taylor says with sudden excitement, “One fateful night, the two lovers were supposed to meet where our town gazebo is located today. But when the lady arrived, her father and her brothers were waiting for her, but they lied and told her that the man she loved had been killed and tried to get her to go home. The girl, of course, refused to go with them, and instead, she threw herself into the lit bonfire.”

“Woah, that’s _dark_” Jess frowns. “It _is_ more interesting, but isn’t it also a little _too_ dark to be the theme of a town festival?”

“It doesn’t matter! It is the _truth_. And it isn’t over yet, so listen carefully!” Taylor retorts, before clearing his throat to continue the story. “As I was saying, the girl threw herself into the fire, and her screams were what led her lover, who was lost in the woods, to the right place. When he saw that the love of his life was gone, he also threw himself into the fire, so they could be together forever.”

Jess scratches his chin, and then narrows his eyes at Taylor. “Are you sure this isn’t just a _Romeo and Juliet_ rip-off someone made up?”

“How dare you!” Taylor gasps. “This is the story of our town!”

“Not my town… but Taylor, don’t you think it is better to let people celebrate a fairytale-like story, than to force your double suicide narrative on people?”

“The double suicide is not the point! This is a _tragic_ love story, and everyone knows those are the best ones!”

_Well, the man has a point. _Jess thinks to himself. And then, it hits him. An idea for his book. A tragic love story… Why didn’t he think of that before?

“Sorry, Taylor, I have to go” Jess gets up and as Kirk enters the diner, he hands him Luke’s notepad and a pen, “Kirk, watch the place for a bit, I’ll be back.”

“I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life…” Kirk mumbles as he looks at the pad and the pen, wonderstruck.

Jess practically runs up to the apartment, and then sits down on the couch with his notebook, then begins to write down some of the ideas that pop into his head.

Most of it is incoherent on its own, but as he links the plot lines together, it all starts to make sense. Jess just continues to write and write, without even noticing the time pass. That is, until Luke storms into the place, with Richie in his arms.

“Jess!” His uncle yells, startling him. “You left _Kirk_ in charge of _my_ diner?”

“Luke…” Jess tries, but he doesn’t really have an excuse.

“Save it” Luke says through gritted teeth and Richie laugh. “Just get that man out of my kitchen before I have an aneurysm! I tried to, but he says you put him in charge, so you’ll have to tell him to go!”

Jess shakes his head and then puts down his notebook, walking past his uncle and the kid. “What are you laughing at?” He sticks out his tongue at Richie, which only makes him laugh more, and ruffles his hair before going down the stairs.

“Kirk!” He calls from behind the curtain, grabbing the baseball bat he had left by the stairs that morning. “Get your ass out of the kitchen!”

(…)

Later in the evening, Jess is still figuring out the story for his book, when there’s a knock on the door. He closes his laptop and puts it on the coffee table, so he can go get it.

Jess opens the door and Rory is standing there, with a paper bag from Doose’s in hand. “Hey, there you are!” She grins widely, seeming to be feeling better that she did when he saw her this morning. “I wasn’t sure if you were home.”

“I’ve been here pretty much all day” He says, “You wanna come in?”

“Actually, I was wondering if you’d want to have dinner over at the house. We’re ordering Indian and having ice cream afterwards, and I know you don’t like Indian but—”

“Okay” Jess responds with a shrug.

“Wait, really?” Rory eyes him suspiciously, “That was easy. You sure you’re okay?” She then presses the back of her hand to his forehead, pretending to check for a fever.

“Stop it” Jess chuckles softly, putting her hand away. “In my defense, it’s because I haven’t eaten in a while and there is nothing up here other than booze and crackers.”

Rory clicks her tongue in mock-disapproval. “I knew you were going to turn this place back into a bachelor pad.”

“Come on, I just forgot to buy groceries!” He protests, grabbing his jacket from the coat rack.

“Whatever you say” She half-chuckles as Jess closes the door behind them, and the two go down the stairs together.

The town looks beautiful at night. The twinkle lights light up the town square and there are warm colored leaves all around.

Jess and Rory head out of the diner and make their way to the Gilmore house, walking side by side down the somewhat deserted streets, initially in a comfortable silence, until Jess decides to break it. “I think I have an idea for my book” He says suddenly, making Rory stop dead in her tracks.

“You’re kidding!” She exclaims, her eyes widened. “Already?”

“Well, don’t get too excited” He says, “I’m not even sure I’m going with it yet, it’s just… I don’t know. I haven’t had any ideas in a while, at least not ones I liked anyway, so…”

“Still! This is so great, Jess” Rory tells him, giving his arm a little push. “But what exactly is this idea?”

“It’s supposed to be a… _tragic_ love story” Jess responds, using air quotes, “Just two people who love each other but for some reason or the other, their timing is… never right.”

“Oh” Rory says softly.

“You don’t like it?”

“It’s not that, it’s just—"

“What?”

“Nothing” She shakes her head, putting on a slight smile. “It’s a good idea, Jess. I really like it.”

“You do?” Jess checks.

“Of course I do” Rory nods, “I think it’s about time the world got a romance novel written by Jess Mariano.”

“Ugh, you make it sound like a Nicholas Sparks book.”

Rory gasps. “That’s it, I’m never complimenting you again”, she says as they continue to walk.

“I’m kidding!” He says, bumping his hip against hers, “Thank you.”

A genuine smile appears on her face. “You’re welcome.”

On the rest of the way, Rory tries to pry more details about the book from Jess, who has to insist that it is just an idea and not even a fully formed one yet, until they finally arrive at the Gilmore driveway.

Before they walk through the front door, Jess touches Rory’s arm, making her turn to face him. “Hey, have you told your mom about…?” He asks and Rory looks down at her shoes for a second.

“Not yet” She admits with a sigh, and Jess frowns.

“Any particular reason why?”

“I just… I know she will want to get involved, and that she’ll make this into a way bigger deal than it is, and I don’t want that.”

“Well, it _is_ a pretty big deal, I mean…”

“I know, okay? And I _will_ tell her. Eventually.”

“Eventually” He echoes, nodding his head slowly.

“Yes, eventually” She says. “Oh, and could you maybe not mention it to anyone? Not even Luke.”

“I won’t.”

“Thank you. I promise, you won’t have to keep this secret for long, only until I… figure things out.”

“Okay” Jess replies, then gestures towards the door. “Shall we?”

“Oh, sure” Rory half-smiles and walks into the house. Jess follows close behind.

They get to the kitchen and Luke and Lorelai are already opening the takeout bags. “Oh, there you are!” Lorelai exclaims as she notices them coming in, “Come, come, or the food will get cold!”

“Jeez, we’re coming” Rory mutters, moving to put the pints of ice cream in the freezer.

“Jess, I know you are not a big fan of Indian, so we could also order a pizza—”

“We’re not ordering pizza!” Luke cuts in, rolling his eyes, “We just had a pizza party two nights ago, so Jess, suck it up.”

“I didn’t even say anything!”

“Well, don’t.” His uncle scowls and that brings a slight smirk to Jess’ face.

“You know what? Indian will do just fine” He says, sitting down at the table.

“Richie!” Rory calls after her son, who is in the living room, playing with his tablet, as she puts buttered noodles on a bowl for him. “Dinner!”

Richie comes running through the hallway, and Lorelai puts him in his chair. Rory gives him the bowl with a fork, then sits down next to Jess. “So, Mom, have you heard from grandma lately?” She asks as she makes herself a plate.

“Yes, she called me when she landed in Stockholm a couple of days ago and from the pictures she posted on Facebook, Sweden seems _delightful_”.

“Oh, don’t mock!”

“I’m serious! I’m just paraphrasing one of her captions!”

“Well, I’m glad she’s having fun” Rory says, “Did _Jack_ go with her?” She puts on some extra emphasis when she says her grandmother’s boyfriend’s name, which makes Lorelai cringe.

“Stop it!” Lorelai protests with a shudder. “Why is it so weird that my mother has a boyfriend?”

“Emily Gilmore has a boyfriend?” Jess asks, gasping theatrically, then turns to Rory. “You do realize that means your _grandma_ is doing better than you in the romance department, right?” He teases, and Rory glares at him, hitting his arm.

“That was _so_ uncalled for!” She protests, and Luke and Lorelai can’t help but laugh.

“I mean, honey, he has a point…” Lorelai tells her with a grimace.

“Oh, come on, guys, give her a break” Luke says, still with the hint of a smirk on his face.

“Thank you!” Rory exclaims, raising her hands. Then, she narrows her eyes at Lorelai and Jess, pointing at them. “I knew it. The second you two started to get along, no one would be safe from your ruthless mocking!”

“We’re not mocking! We just think you should, you know, get yourself out there again” Lorelai says with a slight shrug.

“I—” Rory starts to say, when her phone starts to buzz in her pocket. She takes it out, and Paris is calling her. “I have to take this, it’s… work”.

Rory leaves the kitchen and heading outside to take the call. Jess looks over his shoulder at her as she goes, knowing very well that wasn’t a work call at all. “So” He turns to Luke and Lorelai before they can ask any questions. “Who wants more of the tandoori chicken?”

“Hey, Paris.” Rory says as she puts the phone to her ear.

“Hi, so, listen, I set up three meetings with three different law firms on Monday, here in New York. Can you make it?”

“Monday?” Rory checks, “That was fast. How’d you manage that?”

“Rory. You’ve met me, right?”

“Of course. The Geller way.”

“So? Can you be there?”

“I think I can manage, yeah” She nods, “I don’t even know what to say… Thank you for doing this for me.”

“I knew you’d get soft on me, Gilmore” Paris half-chuckles, “Anyway, I can’t really talk right now — crisis at the magazine —, but I’ll send you the addresses and I’ll meet you there on Monday, okay?”

“Wait, you’ll meet me there?”

“What, you thought I’d let you go by yourself?”

“Paris, you don’t have to do this. I know how busy you are.”

“I’m never too busy for my best friend”.

“Ha, who’s being soft now?”

“Shut up. So, I’ll see you Monday?”

“See you Monday” Rory responds, smiling. “Bye Paris.”

“Bye.”

She ends the call, and before she can go back in, Jess appears at the door. “Hey” He says, crossing his arms, as he stares at her. “Work call, huh?”

“Being subtle is not my strong suit, is it?” She asks, biting her lower lip. “It wasn’t a work call. It was Paris. We’re gonna meet with some lawyers on Monday.”

“Monday? That was fast.”

“I said the same thing, but you know Paris.”

“And did you say ‘we’?”

“Yep” Rory confirms, “Paris is coming with me to the meetings.”

“Heh, classic Geller.”

“Exactly.”

“What are you going to tell your mom?”

Right. Rory hadn’t thought about that. She can’t just go to New York and not explain why… “I don’t know” Rory tells him, “I’ll think of something.”

“I think maybe you should just tell her the truth, Rory.”

“I can’t, not yet.”

“You can. You’re just afraid to.”

“Please don’t psychoanalyze me right now” She huffs, folding her arms over her chest.

“I’m not psych— You know what? Forget I said anything.” Jess says, trying not to let the conversation suddenly turn into an argument. “Let’s go eat some ice cream.”

“Jess…”

“Come on” He insists, leading her into the house, with a hand on her back. “It’s cold out.”

“Okay” Rory says softly, and before they can head back to the kitchen, she stops him for a second. “I _am_ going to tell her” She assures him, holding his gaze.

“I know.” Jess replies, but Rory isn’t quite sure he actually believes her.

(…)


	6. The One with All The Lawyers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory and Paris go to New York to find a custody lawyer. Jess and Victoria babysit Richie for the day, and discuss their relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone!! i hope you're all doing well, as well as one can be during a pandemic (lol). sorry for how long it's taken me to update, but i made this chapter extra long to make up for it. so enjoy, remember to wash your hands and please let me know what you think!! xo

Jess is halfway through re-reading  _ The Sun Also Rises _ , when he hears a knock on the door. He checks the time on his phone, and it’s about 30 minutes earlier than Rory said she would stop by to drop Richie off for the day, and even if she  _ is _ Miss Punctuality, it’s still a bit strange.

He gets up and when he opens the door, much to his surprise, Victoria is the one who’s standing there, not Rory. “Surprise!” She exclaims.

“What- what are you doing here?” Jess asks, still a bit taken aback. “Shouldn’t you still be in Florida?”

“Wow, I really thought you’d be happier to see me” Victoria snorts, feigning offense. 

“Of course I’m happy to see you” Jess says and then pulls her into a hug. “Better?” 

“Much” His girlfriend nods with a smirk and Jess leads her into the apartment, an arm around her shoulders. “Nice place” She says as she takes a look around, but he can tell she’s being sarcastic. 

“Okay, before you start listing out everything that’s wrong with this place, why don’t you tell me what happened in Florida?” 

Victoria makes a face and sighs. “Do I have to? I would much rather talk about how this place  _ seriously _ needs some revamping. Maybe you could paint the walls and—” 

“Vic, come on” Jess insists, crossing his arms. 

“ _ Fine _ ” She concedes, then sits down on the couch with a huff. “Things were going well, surprisingly so, until dinner last night. We were eating, talking… Until Mommy Dearest thought it was time for her to place judgement on every aspect of my life in front of everyone.” 

“That’s…”

“Oh, it gets worse” Victoria continues as Jess takes a seat next to her. “At first, I just took it, you know? But then… she brought up my dad. Said that he would be disappointed that I’m wasting my brains and a Harvard education working at a publishing company. Forget that it’s one of the biggest publishers in the world, and forget that I’m one of the very few women who actually have a say in there, because, let’s face it, it  _ is _ a boy’s club. It’ll  _ never _ be enough for her.”

She shakes her head, her lips curling up into a sad smile. “But I don’t care, not anymore. And that’s what I told her before she kicked me out. Although, I might’ve used much more colorful language.” 

“I’m really sorry.” Jess says, squeezing her hand gently. 

“It’s okay” Victoria replies, “You know what? I really don’t want to talk about this anymore. Tell me, what’s new with you?” 

“Good thing you asked” He tells her and then moves to grab his laptop from the coffee table. Jess opens the file of the first draft of his soon-to-be book, then hands the computer over to Victoria. 

“Chapter one?” She checks, unable to take her eyes off the screen. 

“Keep reading” Jess says and as Victoria scrolls down to the beginning of chapter three, her face completely lights up. 

“You did it!” Victoria exclaims, putting the laptop away to pull him into a tight hug. “You’re doing it, you’re writing the book!” 

“Listen, it’s just an idea, I don’t even have the entire story mapped out—” 

“It doesn’t matter! This is still incredible, I don’t even know what to say” She says, still stunned. “I’m really proud of you, Jess.” 

“Please, save that for when it is actually finished.” 

“Hey, don’t start” She gives him a mock-stern look, and Jess smirks in response. 

“Thank you” He says, giving her a quick kiss. 

“You know… this productive side of you is  _ very _ sexy” Victoria tells him, pressing her lips together before kissing him again. 

“Oh, yeah?” Jess checks, raising an eyebrow at her. “Jeez, if only I had known that sooner, maybe that would’ve sped up the process.” 

“Jess?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Shut up”. 

“Yes, ma’am” He says, pulling her closer as their lips meet again. 

Victoria climbs onto his lap and takes off her coat, dropping it on the floor. She’s quick to unbutton Jess’ shirt and he does the same, as his mouth works its way from hers to her jawline, and down to her neck.

When Victoria finally reaches for his belt, the front door opens and a yelp follows.

“Oh… my god” Rory mutters to herself as she quickly covers her eyes and Richie’s. 

“Rory! You’re… here” Is the only thing Jess can come up with to say, as he tries to put his shirt back on as fast as possible. 

“Sorry, I should’ve knocked” She says, with her hand still over her eyes, “Victoria, hi. I had  _ no _ idea you were here or I would’ve—” 

“It’s fine, it happens” Victoria waves a hand at her dismissively, “Uh, you can uncover your eyes now. Everyone’s decent.” 

“Oh, good. Still, I’m so sorry” Rory apologizes again, because that’s all she can bring herself to do. “If I had known—” 

“Seriously, don’t worry about it” Victoria assures her. “Besides, it’s nothing you haven’t seen before, right?” She says, pointing at Jess. 

“Well…” 

“Actually, we never—” Rory hates how flustered she sounds, but she can’t help it. The last thing she wants right now is to discuss her and Jess’ sexual history, or lack thereof, with his  _ girlfriend _ . 

“You’re joking… right?” Their silence says it all, “Oh, you’re serious. So, you two… never?” 

“Nope.” 

“No.” 

“I’m sorry, I’m just trying to wrap my head around this. Never? Really? Not even hand—” 

“Okay, new subject!” Jess intervenes before Victoria can ask any more questions that might make his and Rory’s heads explode. 

“Um, Jess, if you can’t babysit today, it’s fine” Rory says and allows herself to breathe again, thankful for his interruption. “I mean, I could probably find someone else to watch him—” 

“Babysit?” Victoria asks, turning to Jess. 

“Yeah, I kind of told Rory I’d look after Richie for her today while she’s in New York”. 

“ _ Promised _ .” 

“Right. Promised.” 

“Well, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t keep that promise” The blonde says. “I won’t get in the way, in fact, I could even help.” 

Jess shoots her a skeptical look. “Really?  _ You _ want to help?” 

“I feel like I’m missing something here” Rory frowns, waiting for either of them to explain.

“Victoria is afraid of children.” Jess responds.

“I am  _ not _ afraid of children!” Victoria protests, “ _ Some _ kids freak me out, is all. Oh, and babies.” 

“How can you be afraid of babies?” Rory asks, biting back a laugh. 

“They’re… so fragile and what’s the deal with the soft spot? Just think that if there’s going to be a self-destruction button, they should put it somewhere it might not accidentally get pressed.” 

“See what I mean?” Jess turns to Rory in a tone of conspiracy, and she tries her best not to laugh. 

“Well, I don’t think Richie will be any trouble” She says, “He’s only two and a half, but he’s very mature for his age. My grandmother’s maid Berta thinks he is my grandpa reincarnated, which is… so not the point. But if you can’t do it, it’s fine, I can try and find someone else or—"

“No, we’ll do it” Victoria tells her, “Right?” 

“Sure. Won’t be a problem.” Jess agrees with a nod. 

“Okay, great. Thank you so much, guys” Rory grins gratefully, then puts Richie down, crouching so she’s at eye level with him. “Be good, alright? Mommy will be back soon.” 

“Okay” Richie says with a shrug, before running over to Jess. “Can we go to the playground, please?” He pouts, showing an uncanny resemblance to his mother as he adds the Bambi eyes to the mix. 

“Of course we can” Jess tells him, then looks over at Rory to check, “We can, can’t we?” 

“Sure. Now, here’s everything he might need or want” Rory hands Richie’s bag to Jess, “If you have any questions, or if anything happens, anything at all, call me. You have my number, right?” 

“Yes, I have your number” Jess rolls his eyes at her as he straps the tiny backpack to his shoulder, “Now just give me the list and you can go catch your train.” 

“List?” Rory snorts. “What list? There is no list.” 

“Rory, we both know there’s a list. Victoria knows there’s a list. Even Richie knows there’s a list. So, where is it?” 

“Jess, I’m a  _ cool _ mom. Lists are for crazy, obsessive parents, and as I am not a crazy, obsessive parent, there’s not list. Sorry.” 

“That’s exactly what a crazy, obsessive parent would say.” 

“Fine!” She gives in and looks for the list her in purse, “Take it.” 

Jess takes a look at it, then turns it around, as he suspected, there’s a back. “Front  _ and _ back, nice. Now  _ that’s _ the Rory I know. You can go now.” 

“I will, in a second” Rory narrows her eyes at him before turning to her son. “Bye sweetie, mommy loves you.” She leans down to give him a kiss on the cheek, and he hugs her neck. “Bye, mommy!” 

“Yes, bye mommy” Jess teases, receiving an eye roll in response. 

“Bye, guys. I’ll see you later.” She says, but doesn’t actually move to leave. 

“You’re still standing there” Jess says, narrowing his eyes at her. “Rory, go. We’ll be okay.” 

“Okay, I’m going! I’m going!” Rory raises her hands in mock-surrender in response before reaching for the knob. “Bye.”

She finally manages to get out of the apartment as sighs as the door closes behind her. It should be fine. _ It’ll be fine _ . Right? 

(…) 

“Paris, I’m so sorry I’m late!” Rory says, a little out of breath, as she gets out of the cab. Her friend frowns as she checks her wristwatch. 

“Rory, you’re ten minutes early” Paris says. 

“Really?” 

“Yep.”

“Oh, good” She sighs in relief, then goes in for a tight hug. “I’m so glad to see you!” 

“I’m glad to see you too” Paris smiles, “How are you holding up?” 

“I’m… hanging in there. It’s just hard, you know? Just the thought of Logan—” 

“Hey, that’s not gonna happen! We’ll make sure it doesn’t” Paris assures her as they walk into the building, “Besides, you’re already in advantage here. Getting a lawyer this early in the process is pivotal.” 

“I hope so” Rory says, dropping her shoulders. “I just don’t want this to turn into one of these ugly custody battles you see on TV.” 

“Excuse me, may I help you?” The man behind the front desk calls. 

“Yes, we have a meeting with Michael Stenhouse at Hill, Stenhouse and Jones. Name’s Rory Gilmore.” Paris tells him and he just nods, grabbing the phone from its nook. 

“I have a Rory Gilmore to meet with Mr. Stenhouse, should I send her up? Okay. Thank you, Martha.” He hangs up, then turns to Rory and Paris, “You can go in now. Office is on the 11 th floor.” 

“Thanks” Paris says curtly, then heads to the elevator, and Rory follows close behind. 

“So, who is this guy? Michael Stenhouse?” Rory asks. 

“His family is close to my family for some reason. I don’t know  _ him _ personally, but I do know his father.  _ Quite _ well, might I add.” 

“Okay, I do not like the way you just said ‘ _ quite’ _ . Did you… with his dad?”

Paris doesn’t reply, she just shrugs instead. “Paris!” Rory gasps, her blue eyes widened. “How could you sleep with the guy’s dad?” 

“Look, don’t go all  _ Mary _ on me, okay? It was just one time” Her friend crosses her arms defensively, then sighs wistfully. “But what a time it was…” 

“Oh, jeez!” 

“If you saw him, you’d understand” Paris says, raising her hands in mock-surrender. 

“I seriously doubt that” Rory tells her, “God. Now all I’m gonna be able to think about in this meeting is about how you did it with his father.” 

“Can’t you just  _ not _ think about it?” 

“I wish. I’m gonna shake the guy’s hand and smile, but I’m gonna be thinking:  _ I’m really sorry Paris boned your dad. _ ” 

“Rory!”

“Okay, I’m dropping it. I just don’t get this thing you have for guys who lived through the Great Depression.”

“He wasn’t  _ that _ old!” 

“Coming from you, that’s not saying much.” 

“I thought we were dropping this, but if you’re gonna harp on  _ my _ taste in men, allow me to do the same. Tell me, how’s the Wookie doing?” 

“That— that was different! And at least he wasn’t old enough to be my  _ grandfather _ !” 

“How do you know? You let him keep the costume on!” 

“I knew I shouldn’t have told you that!” 

“I—” Paris begins to say, but then the elevator doors open with a ding and the two get off. “Saved by the bell, Gilmore, saved by the bell.”

Rory rolls her eyes at her friend and walks over to the reception desk. “Hi, we’re here to meet with Mr. Michael Stenhouse. Rory Gilmore?”

“One moment, miss” The woman whose name tag read Martha said before picking up the phone, “Julia, I have a Rory Gilmore here to see Mr. Stenhouse, should I send her in now? Uh-huh. Thanks.”

Martha then turns to Rory with a smile. “Mr. Stenhouse’s office is just down the hall. Have a nice day.” 

“Thank you, you too” Rory smiles back before heading towards the hallway with Paris by her side.

They arrive at the office and Rory knocks, even though the door is open. Michael looks up from his computer and gets up to greet them. He is in his early forties, with dark hair and wearing a expensive looking suit. “Oh, if it isn’t Paris Geller. I haven’t seen you since we were kids!”

“It  _ has _ been a long time.” Paris says as the two shake hands, then turns to Rory in a whisper. “Weak handshake. He’s not the one.”

“What?” She whispers back.

“If he doesn’t have enough confidence to shake someone’s hand properly, how do you think he’s gonna hold up in court?”

Rory chooses to ignore that and introduces herself. “Mr. Stenhouse, nice to meet you. I’m Rory Gilmore” She says and shakes his hand. And as much as she hates to admit it, it is an oddly weak handshake. Almost like he has iron deficiency or something. 

“Miss Gilmore, likewise” Michael replies, “Tell me, just what brings you here today?” 

“Well, I have a situation” Rory says as she and Paris sit down, “A custody situation. I have a son, a two year old, and his father asked for shared custody. We’ve only discussed it so far, but since I vehemently said no, it’s likely that we’ll have to go to court, and I need someone to represent me in case it happens.” 

“I see. How is your relationship with the father? And his relationship with your son?” 

“It’s… complicated. We get along, of course, but Logan isn’t exactly the easiest to deal with. And then there was this thing at Richie’s first birthday party last year—” 

“Richie, is that your son?” 

“Yes, short for Richard.” 

“What happened at that birthday party?” 

“The party happened at my house. My mother’s house, actually. Logan got there late, and he was drunk and just… not in a good place, so he got into a fight with my friend, Jess.” 

“It wasn’t exactly a fight, though” Paris notes, remembering what happened. 

“What do you mean?” Michael asks with a frown. 

“It’s a long story, we shouldn’t—” 

“Miss Gilmore, this is important for your case. If you don’t mind, I’d like to hear what happened.” 

“Okay…” 

**JULY 8** **th** **, 2018 **

_ “You know, playing house with her won’t make you the father” Logan sneers as he stumbles drunkenly in Jess’ direction, “You can build cribs and read stories all you want, he’s still my kid. Mine.”  _

_ “Logan, stop it” Rory tells him, but he just lets out a derisive laugh.  _

_ “What’s the matter, Ace? You know it’s true. No matter how much you wish he was the father, he’s not.”  _

_ “You’re right” Jess says, crossing his arms, with a defiant smirk on his face. “I’m not Richie’s dad. Nor am I trying to be, but if you think blood makes you worthy of being called someone’s father, you’re an idiot.”  _

_ “What did you just call me?” Logan pushes Jess, who has to force himself not to push him back.  _

_ “I wouldn’t do that if I were you” Jess warns him, as he takes a step back.  _

_ “What’s the matter,  _ Jack _ ? Huh?”  _

_ “I’m not gonna fight you.”  _

_ “Why not?” Logan insists, “You had no problem walking in here like you’re some knight in shining armor, trying to replace me in my kid’s life, so why stop now?”  _

_ “Ever stop to think that you feel like you’re being you’re being replaced because you’ve  _ made _ yourself replaceable?” Jess retorts, and that’s when Logan hits him. One punch before he trips and falls back.  _

_ Jess wipes the blood from his nose with his hand and just walks away, going into the house. It takes everything in him to not to give in to his old habits and hit Logan back, but he won’t do that to Rory and he won’t give Logan the satisfaction of knowing he got under his skin.  _

_ Rory hands Richie over to her mother, then stands over Logan, who’s laying down on the grass. “Get up” She says through gritted teeth as she forces him to stand, “And get the hell out of here. Now.”  _

_ “Alright, who wants cake?” Lorelai tries to divert the guests’ attention to herself, and surprisingly, that works. Everyone begins to follow her to the house.  _

_ “Ace, I’m—” Logan tries, but Rory immediately stops him.  _

_ “Don’t. Just go.” She responds, turning to leave.  _

_ “Where are you going?”  _

_ “I’m going to check on Jess” Rory says over her shoulder before she walks off.  _

**PRESENT DAY **

“Oh, wow” Michael says, clasping his hands together. “So… would you say Logan has some kind of a drinking problem?” 

“No, that’s not I said. The point of me telling you what happened is how Logan spent over a year without visiting because he claims he was ‘too ashamed’ to do so” Rory tells him, using air quotes, “Then, a few days ago, he just came back and dropped the shared custody bomb on me.” 

“I understand. I think you have a winning case here, Miss Gilmore, but I still get the feeling that you’re trying to…  _ protect _ this Logan fellow.” 

“I am not trying to protect him! You asked me if he has a drinking problem, he doesn’t. I’m just telling the truth.” 

“The truth will only get you so far, Rory.” 

Rory lets out a humorless chuckle. “So what? You want me to go to court and lie to the judge by saying Logan is a drunk with anger issues?” 

“ _ Anger issues _ , I like that” Mike takes out a post-it and writes ‘anger issues’ in capital letters. 

“Hey, don’t write that down!” She protests. 

“What? You said it. I’m just trying to do work with what you’re giving me.” 

“Then quit it! That’s unethical and…  _ stupid _ .”

“Yeah, Mike, I think this meeting is over” Paris says, brushing her hands against the fabric of her pants before she rises to her feet. “Thanks for nothing.” 

“Yeah, thanks” Rory mutters, and before she follows Paris out of the office, she adds: “Oh, by the way, get a firmer handshake. It’s like shaking hands with a toddler!” 

(…)

“Well, that was a bust” Paris says as they walk out of the building. 

“Tell me about it.” 

“Hey, good thing I booked two other meetings. Maybe number two will be the one.” 

“Let’s hope so” Rory sighs, folding her arms over her chest. “What time is the next meeting?” 

“At three.” 

“What time is it now?”

“2:30.” 

“Let’s get going. I want to get coffee before we meet with the next person. Ooh, and maybe a bagel.” 

“Okay” Paris agrees, then hails a cab. “Hey, don’t get discouraged. This was only one meeting.” 

“I’m not. I just— I really want to find a good lawyer to represent me, not some crook who’s gonna tell me to lie on the stand.” 

That makes Paris laugh. “Still feel bad for him because I slept with his dad?” 

“Oh, no” Rory shakes her head with a smile, “ _ Definitely _ not.”

(…) 

“Here you go” Victoria gives Jess one of the paper cups, then sits down next to him on the bench. 

They’re at the park, watching Richie play tag with a couple of other kids. It’s a beautiful day out. 

“Thanks” Jess says, then takes a sip of his drink and makes a face. “Ugh, what is this?”

“What do you mean? It’s coffee!” Victoria tastes hers, then gags. “Oh, honey… This is really bad coffee. Can’t believe I paid that guy five dollars for this.” 

“You paid five dollars for each cup?” He checks, incredulous. 

“What?” 

“This is Stars Hollow. A cup of coffee is a buck, buck-fifty  _ tops _ .” 

“How was I supposed to know? I live in New York, where  _ everything _ is overpriced, including coffee.”

“Well, I’m from New York too, but I still know that coffee from a cart at a park in Connecticut is  _ not _ five bucks.” 

“Oh, whatever” She rolls her eyes at him, fighting back a smirk, then looks over at Richie, who’s now on the seesaw with a little girl around his age. “You ever think about it?” 

“Think about what?” 

“About having kids? Being a dad, all that stuff.” 

“Where’s this coming from?” He asks, frowning at her.

“Will you just answer the question?” 

“I’ve thought about it, yeah” Jess admits with a shrug, then his expression turns completely serious. “Wait, are you—?” 

“No. No, no, no. No, no. Definitely not.” 

“Seven no’s? Seriously?” 

“Sorry. It’s just… we’ve never really talked about this, have we?” 

“I guess not. Do you  _ want _ to talk about it?”

Victoria lets out a deep sigh, then looks down at her shoes for a moment. “Jess, I have to tell you something.” She says as she turns to face him again. 

“What is it?” He asks, furrowing his brows with concern. 

“I can’t… have children. Which, for me, is fine, because I don’t want kids, I never have. But if you, by any chance, do, then…” 

Jess doesn’t know what to say, or to think. He’s happy with how his life is right now, but if it happened, someday, with the right person, he wouldn’t be opposed to it. 

His mind goes back to when Richie was born, and to how when he held him for the first time, he thought that  _ maybe _ he could do this. But it was just an idea. A possibility. Not something he ever put much thought into. At least not until now.

“How do you… know?” Jess asks, and Victoria sighs again. 

“When I was in my early twenties, I thought I was pregnant” She tells him, “I wasn’t sure, so I went to the doctor, and… she told me I wasn’t, but she still wanted to run some tests. She did, and then told me that I have a condition called primary ovary insufficiency, which basically means I don’t ovulate regularly, and the chances of me ever getting pregnant are lower than 5 percent.” 

“And how did you feel about that?” 

“It was a shock at first, sure, but it was easy for me to accept it” Victoria says, “If I had actually been pregnant then, I would’ve gotten an abortion, because I wasn’t ready to be a mother. And… I don’t think I ever will be, nor do I want to be one. Is that okay with you?” 

“Yeah” Jess replies, then holds one of her hands with both of his, “Look, I like being with you. This doesn’t change anything.” 

Her eyes suddenly well up, and her voice begins to break. “Please don’t tell me just what you think I want to hear.” 

“I’m not” He assures her, “I wouldn’t do that.” 

“Okay” Victoria sniffles, then rests her head on his shoulder. “But will you tell me if you change your mind?” 

“I will.”

The two then just stay there in silence, with their fingers intertwined, watching the kids play. 

A little while later, Richie comes running towards them, panting. “I’m tired. Can we go?” He asks, tugging on the sleeve of Jess’ jacket. 

“Sure, buddy” Jess says with a slight smile as he gets up, and picks Richie up.

Victoria looks at them, and thinks that even if Jess doesn’t know it, or won’t admit it, he’s already a good father. And she would hate if he had to give that up for her. 

“Are you okay?” Jess checks, and Victoria assents. “I’m fine. Let’s go.” She says, but isn’t sure she truly means it. 

(…) 

“I can’t believe it” Paris shakes her head in disbelief as they get out of the cab. “I can’t believe they let us meet with a woman who has a framed picture of her meeting the moron we have in office right now. It’s absurd!” 

“How could they possibly have known, Paris?”

“They  _ hired _ her!” 

“Okay, fair enough” Rory concedes, “But this means we only have one last meeting to find me a decent lawyer. What if this one is terrible too?” 

“Then I’ll just set up more meetings! Rory, I know it may seem like it, but you still have time to figure this out.” 

“What if I don’t? I don’t know what Logan is thinking or what he’s going to do. I need to be prepared.” 

“You  _ will _ be” Paris tells her, putting her hands on Rory’s shoulders in reassurance. “Besides, if push comes to shove, my offer to represent you still stands.” 

Rory smiles at that. “Thank you. For everything. It means a lot.” 

“Don’t worry about it” Paris replies, matching her smile. “Now, we should probably go in, right?” 

“Lead the way” The brunette says, and they go in. 

This building is nowhere near as fancy as the first two. It’s understated, not so intimidating. That gives Rory some hope. 

“Hello, may I help you?” The receptionist greets them with a warm smile. 

“Yes, we have a meeting with Michelle Carter at Newman and Bradshaw?” Rory replies, “The name is Rory Gilmore.” 

“One moment, please” The woman says and dials a couple of numbers on the intercom, then presses a button on her headset. “Ethan? I have a Rory Gilmore here to meet with Miss Carter? Should I send her in? Okay, thank you.” 

“Miss Carter is running a bit late, but you can go right up” She tells them. 

“Thank you” Rory says, and her and Paris walk towards the elevators. 

They get off, and then Ethan, Michelle’s secretary, says that she’s not in yet, but they can wait for her in her office. It’s not as spacious as the other two offices they have been in today, but it is by far the most welcoming. 

“Hi, I’m really sorry I’m late” Michelle immediately apologizes as she walks into her office, taking off her coat. “I was at my daughter’s dance recital and— you don’t care. Now which one of you is Rory?” 

“It’s no problem, really. I’m Rory” Rory smiles, shaking her hand, “And this is my friend, Paris Geller.” 

“Nice to meet you both” Michelle says and takes a seat on her chair. “So what can I do for you?” 

Rory explains the entire situation to her, and she listens attentively to everything.

“Well, I think you have a strong case here, Rory” The lawyer tells her, “However, I do understand why you would be worried, this  _ is _ an extremely delicate situation, but if you’ll let me, I’ll do my best so it all goes smoothly.” 

“You’re hired” Rory grins, then moves to shake Michelle’s hand again. 

“Perfect. I’ll send you the paperwork this week, and we can go from there. If you have any questions or if you need to schedule a meeting, just call me” She hands Rory her card, and smiles. 

“Thank you,  _ so _ much” Rory replies. 

“Hey, you went to Yale?” Paris says, noticing the diploma framed on the wall. 

“Yeah, class of 2006” Michelle nods. “Why?” 

“Us, too. Class of ’07.”

“Really? Huh, we might’ve even passed each other on campus. Small world, right?” 

“Tell me about it” Rory chuckles softly, before checking the time on her watch, realizing she should get to the train station soon. “I… have to get going, but it was a pleasure to meet you, Michelle. I’ll be in touch.” 

“Likewise. Have a good one, you guys.” 

They say their goodbyes, and when they leave the building, the amount of relief Rory feels is tremendous. “God, I can’t believe this. I have a lawyer, and she isn’t a terrible person! In fact, she’s a great person!”

“Very rare for a lawyer” Paris nods in agreement. “Third time’s a charm, so it seems.” 

“Thank you again, Paris. I couldn’t have done this without you” Rory pulls her into a hug, and the two smile. “I’ll see you soon, okay?” 

“Not a problem. Get home safe” Her friend tells her, then they each hail themselves a cab. 

Rory arrives at Grand Central Station then buys a ticket for the next train to Hartford, departing in ten, and she can’t wait to go home. 

(…) 

It’s already dark when Rory arrives at Luke’s. She just hopes Richie wasn’t any trouble for Jess and Victoria, and that her constant texting to check if everything was okay hadn’t annoyed him  _ too _ much.

“Hey, Rory. How was the field trip?” Luke asks as soon as she walks into the diner, reminding her of the excuse she had to make up for going to New York for the day. 

“It was tiring, but it went well, I think” She replies, taking a seat at one of the stools. “Do you know if Jess is home? He’s supposed to be watching Richie, but they were going to the park, so I don’t know if they’re upstairs yet.” 

“I think so” Her stepfather says, already filling up a mug with fresh coffee for her, which Rory very much appreciates. “Oh, when you get home, can you please tell your mother that we don’t need a dog right now?” 

“Come on, Luke. She misses Paul Anka, and the house might get lonely when Richie and I move out” She tells him, sipping on her coffee, “Maybe getting a new dog would be good.” 

“ _ Fine _ . I’ll consider it” He sighs, then his cellphone begins to buzz in his pocket. “Sorry, I gotta take this.” Luke says, then goes into the back. 

Rory finishes her coffee and then passes through the curtain, going up the stairs. She knocks on the door, and Jess is the one who opens it. “Hi” She cries, wrapping her arms around him. 

Jess’ body stiffens for a second before he hugs her back, then he gives her a confused look. “What was that for?” 

“I don’t know” Rory shrugs, then suppresses a yawn. “I’m just tired. Also, it’s kind of a thank you for looking after Richie today and for, you know, not saying anything to Luke or Mom.” 

“Anytime” He says, then steps aside so she can come in. 

Rory is surprised to see Victoria sitting on the couch, with Richie sleeping with his head on her lap. “He just fell asleep like this, and I’ve been afraid to move” She tells Rory in a whisper, which makes her laugh softly. 

“Sweetie, wake up” Rory shakes him a little, and he slowly wakes, rubbing his eyes. “Mommy’s here.” 

“Mommy!” Richie exclaims as he sees her, and gives her a kiss on the cheek.

“I missed you” She says, holding him tight, “Did you have fun?” 

He nods. “Jess and the nice lady took me to the park!” 

“Wait, did you just—” Rory then turns to Jess, her eyes widened. “He said your name! He said it with a J!” 

“What?” He frowns, then walks over to the couch to check. “Say it again. What’s my name?” 

“Jess?” Richie replies, a bit confused, and Jess and Rory both laugh. 

“I’m gone for not even a full day, and he already can pronounce his J’s. Unbelievable.” Rory shakes her head, still grinning. 

Victoria watches as Jess and Rory try to make Richie say other words that begin with a J and smile at each other as they do so. 

They look just like a family, and that makes her begin to come to terms something she realized a long time ago. 

She’s a side character in someone else’s love story. It’s more than clear now. But why can’t she let go of him yet? 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. The One Where Rory and Jess go to Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When one of her colleagues falls ill, Rory steps in as a chaperone and gets Jess to tag along with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello everyone!! i hope you're all well, and that it hasn't been too long since the last update.  
this chapter is definitely one of my favorites and it's extra long, so just in case i go MIA for some reason, at least there's that haha  
i hope you enjoy it as much as i enjoyed writing it and please let me know what you think in the comments! x

“Nope.”

“Jess, _ please _.”

“Rory, stop it.” He says as he puts his book down on the counter, and moves to refill a few of the customers’ cups. “I’m not going.” 

“Why not?” Rory insists, following him around the diner. “What other great plans do you have for this Friday?”

“Well, I _ am _ a little behind on my laundry” Jess tells her, and Rory scowls at him. 

“Okay, I didn’t want to have to resort to this but… You leave me no choice.” 

“What are you talking about?” 

“You didn’t take me to prom” She says, folding her arms over her chest then raises an eyebrow at him. “So _ this _ will be how you make it up to me.” 

Jess winces slightly at that. “Low blow, Gilmore. Low blow.” He shakes his head, and sighs. “Okay, fine. I’ll go with you.” 

“Thank you!” Rory grins widely as she taps him on the shoulder. “We’ll have a great time, you’ll see.” 

“Right, because chaperoning a bunch of horny teenagers just _ screams _ fun” Jess says, rolling his eyes. “How’d you get roped into doing this anyway?”

“I told you, one of my colleagues, Jill, got sick, so I’m filling in for her.” 

“How convenient for her.”

“She _ is _sick! She called me last night and the woman was about to cough up a lung, I don’t know what to tell you.” 

“Uh-huh” He hums, then pretends to cough. “Was it–“ Jess coughs again, putting a hand to his chest dramatically, “Something–“ and again, “Like this?” 

“You’re two. And impossible!” Rory smacks him on the arm, biting back a laugh. “Don’t forget to wear a suit.” She says as she straps her bag to her shoulder. “You do have a suit, don’t you?”

“Believe it or not, I do”. 

“Good. I’ll see you later.” Rory tells him as she heads towards the door. 

“See you” Jess replies, then adds, just as she’s heading out: “Manipulator!” 

(…) 

“So? What do you think?” Rory asks her mother as she steps out of her bedroom, showing Lorelai her outfit. 

“Oh, honey, you look beautiful” Lorelai can barely contain the smile on her face. “Love the dress, by the way. Is it new?” 

Rory smooths the fabric on her skirt with her palm and shakes her head. “No, I’ve had it for a while, but I don’t think I’ve ever worn it before. And you’re sure it looks okay? I mean, is it appropriate?” 

“What do you mean, ‘is it appropriate’?” 

“Mom, I’m a _ chaperone _. This is the first dance I’ll be supervising at Chilton, and I want to make a good impression, and I can’t do that if I look like a complete slut.” 

“Well, in that case, you just look like a _ very _ classy prostitute.”

“Not helping!” 

“I’m kidding” Lorelai says, putting her hands to her daughter’s shoulders. “You look beautiful _ and _appropriate.” 

That makes Rory smile. “Thanks. I just really want tonight to go well.” 

“Speaking of tonight, how’d you get Jess to agree to go with you?” Her mother asks, with a little smirk on her face. “What do you have on him?” 

“Nothing much. I just twisted his arm ‘til he said yes” Rory shrugs, “Last I heard, he was still trying to get the feeling back in.” 

“Ah, I see” Lorelai nods slowly, “Why were you so insistent on him going with you anyway?” 

“I mean, I thought it would be fun” Rory tells her as she goes back into her room to finish getting ready. “He spends all his time either at the apartment, or in the diner, so I thought it would be nice for him to, you know, get out of that place a little.” 

“And that’s all it was?” Lorelai checks, “You were just making sure Jess didn’t accidentally turn into the town hermit?” 

“Exactly” Rory says, putting on her necklace, then turns to her mother. “Why? Do you think it’s weird that I asked him?” 

“No, no. It’s not weird. It’s just—” 

“What?” 

“Nothing, don’t mind me” Lorelai waves a hand at her dismissively, “I’m sure you two will have a great time.” 

“Maybe it _ is _ weird” The daughter frowns, crossing her arms over her chest. “Maybe… maybe I should just call him and tell him not to come.” 

“Well—” Before Lorelai can say anything else, they hear the front door click open. “I think it might be a little too late for that, hon.” 

“Rory! Jess is here!” Luke calls from the living room, and Rory sighs as she takes one last look in the mirror. 

“Coming!” She yells back, heading out of her room. 

When Jess sees Rory, it’s like his heart skips a beat. “Wow, you look…” He trails off, seemingly unable to finish his thought and Rory just looks at him expectantly. 

“I think the word you’re looking for is _ beautiful _” Lorelai teases as she comes into the living room, holding her phone in one hand.

“Yeah, you look beautiful” Jess says, and Rory smiles shyly in response. 

“Thanks. You look very handsome too, but your tie is a bit crooked” She grimaces, taking a step forward towards him, “Can I?” Rory offers, and Jess nods, clearing his throat. 

“Much better” She grins approvingly. 

“Thanks” Jess smirks, then takes a little plastic box out of his coat pocket, with a corsage inside and hands it to Rory. “Here, I got you this, since we’re making up for prom.”

“Jess, this is gorgeous” Rory tells him as she opens the box, then holds it up to her face. “It even matches my eyes. Thank you.”

“No problem” He nods, “Do you want me to…?”

“If you don’t mind” She replies, giving him the corsage as she extends her arm. Jess holds her hand as he ties it around her wrist, before he gently lets go. 

“All set” Jess says, clasping his hands together. “Well, shall we?” 

“Not so fast, Mariano” Lorelai interjects, a mischievous look on her face. “Why don’t we get some pictures first?” 

“Oh, _ come on _” Rory groans, trying not to roll her eyes at her mother. “Why?” 

“Yeah, why?” Jess eyes Lorelai warily and crosses his arms. 

“Because you two don’t get to have all the fun!” She replies matter-of-factly. “Now go stand over there, by the stairs.” Lorelai tells them, and albeit reluctantly, Jess and Rory do as asked. 

“Okay, now why don’t we try the classic prom pose? Jess, wrap your arms around her and—” 

“I got it” He cuts in, then very awkwardly puts his arms around Rory’s waist, and he’s trying not to think about how close together they are right now. “Is this—” Jess checks, and Rory just nods, even if breathing normally has suddenly become a task for her.

It’s not like they haven’t been this close before — or even _ closer _ in the past — but this feels… different. Charged, in a way. She’s probably overthinking this, Rory decides. It’s just a picture. No harm in that. 

“Just take the picture, Mom” Rory says, putting on a smile and Lorelai gladly takes several shots, enjoying every second of it. 

“Lorelai, just let them leave” Luke intervenes from the couch, and Lorelai rolls her eyes. “_ Buzzkill _.”

“_ Menace _” He grumbles in response, and both Jess and Rory can’t help but laugh.

“We should really get going” Rory says. She then moves over to the couch to say goodbye to Richie, placing a kiss on top of his head. “Bye, sweetie.” 

“Bye” He replies, without even looking away from the TV. 

“Have fun, you guys” Lorelai says with a smile, and Rory _ really _ doesn’t like how suggestive her tone is. 

“Goodbye!” Rory shoots her mother a warning glare. “Stop. It.” She mouths, raising a finger at her, and Lorelai just chuckles. 

Jess and Rory go into the foyer and Rory puts on her coat, then grabs her purse. “Let’s go, before the crazy lady with the camera gets to us again.” She mutters, rolling her eyes and Jess smirks in amusement.

They close the door behind them and head towards Rory’s car. “Here, you drive” She tosses him the keys, which he promptly catches. 

“You sure?” He raises an eyebrow at her, “I don’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to driving your car. I mean, what if a furry thing comes out of nowhere again?” 

“Lightning doesn’t strike in the same place twice, Jess” Rory says simply as she gets into the passenger seat, and Jess can’t argue with that. 

He turns on the car and _ Come and Get Your Love _ starts to play very loudly in the speakers. “What?” She asks, noticing the frown on his face. 

“Nothing” Jess raises his hands in mock-surrender, “Just never took you for a Redbone fan.” 

“It’s a good song! Now drive, please” She orders, and he chuckles softly. 

The song restarts and Rory starts to sing along, very out of tune, which makes Jess laugh. “Come on! Sing with me!” She urges him as they enter the road to Hartford. “You know you want to.”

“No way.” 

“Suit yourself” Rory shrugs. “You _ will _ give in eventually.” 

Rory plays the song on repeat, and as she predicted, when they’re halfway there, Jess gives in and joins her.

She watches as Jess taps his hand on the wheel to the beat, and grins widely. This is probably the most relaxed she’s been in days, finally allowing herself just to have some fun for once. 

“You know, I nearly forgot how completely tone deaf you are” Rory teases and Jess rolls his eyes at her, with the ghost of a smile on his face. 

“Right, because _ you’re _ going to be the next big thing on this season of _ The Voice _.”

“Oh, whatever” She retorts, scrunching up her nose, and they both laugh. 

They finally arrive to the venue, and Jess can’t quite figure out why would they rent out a _ mansion _ for a homecoming dance, but again, he never really got the private school types. Well, with one exception.

“Ready?” Jess asks as he parks the car, and Rory nods.

“Oh, yeah. Let’s do this.” 

(…) 

“You know, I just realized this is the first school dance I’ve ever been to” Jess says as they enter the ballroom, taking a look around. 

“Better late than never” Rory nudges him on the arm with a smirk, and before she can comment on just how fancy the venue is, one of her colleagues, Maureen, comes over to greet her. 

She is in her mid-sixties, with auburn hair and light blue eyes, that don’t stand out much under her thick pair of black, pointy eyeglasses. 

“Rory! So glad you could come!” Maureen tells her, then looks over at Jess. “Ah, is this your husband?” 

“My h— Oh, no. No.” She lets out an awkward chuckle. “This… this is my good friend, Jess Mariano. Jess, this is Maureen Jacob, one our History teachers”. 

“Nice to meet you, Maureen” He says, shaking the woman’s hand. “Quite the shindig you have going on here.” 

“Why, thank you, Jess” Maureen beams, “I was in charge of organizing the dance, so I guess I can take some of the credit. Oh, and here, take some name tags” She then hands them a couple of stickers and a black marker, before walking away. “Have fun!” 

“You too!” Rory calls as she waves at her. 

They write their names down and put the name tags on. “So, where do we go now?” Jess asks, turning to Rory.

“I have no idea” She admits with a shrug. “We could get punch? I don’t know.” 

“Punch sounds good” He agrees, and the two walk towards the punch table. 

Rory fills two cups and gives one to Jess. He takes a sip and it tastes more like vodka than anything else. “This is definitely spiked” Jess says before he finishes drinking it. “Nice raspberry aftertaste, though.” 

“How is this even possible? The dance _ just _started!” 

“Kids find a way” Jess shrugs, then looks over at the other chaperones, who seem to be playing a round of poker instead of, well, chaperoning. “Which shouldn’t be too hard, considering no one is actually watching them.” 

“Unbelievable” Rory shakes her head, incredulous. “And here I was, thinking they actually look this seriously. I spent hours trying to pick an outfit that was appropriate and—” 

She suddenly stops her rambling and downs the rest of her drink like it’s water. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. We came here to have fun, so that’s what we’ll do.” 

“See, _ now _ you’re talking” Jess says, then fills their cups with more of the spiked punch. “Cheers”. The two clink their glasses and Rory can’t help but smile. 

“Okay, I think two drinks is enough. One of us still has to drive home.” She reminds him, and Jess nods in response. 

“Right” He drawls, emphasizing the ‘T’ like he sometimes does. “We really should’ve taken an Uber.” 

“Well, we didn’t know there was going to be booze” Rory says, finishing her drink. “Hey, I think I’m going to say hi to a couple of my students. You’re okay to stay here?” 

“Go ahead, I think I might join the game over there” He glances over at the chaperones’ table. “You mind if I bet your car?” Jess takes her car keys out of his jacket pocket and waves them in front of her face. 

“Well, how good are you at poker?” Rory questions, crossing her arms. 

Jess doesn’t reply, he just smirks and puts the keys back into his pocket, looking over his shoulder at her as he heads over to the poker table.

“Hey, how you doing?” He says, shaking one of her colleagues’ hand before sitting down. 

Rory sighs and hopes to God that Jess doesn’t make them have to walk all the way back to Stars Hollow. 

She spots Bridget and Quentin, two of her students, from across the room, and goes over to say hello to them. “Hey guys, having fun?” 

“Hi, Miss Gilmore” Bridget grins, adjusting her glasses. “Yes, definitely. I never have a lot of fun at these, but this one is not so bad.”

“Same here” Quentin says, smiling as well. 

“Oh, good, I’m glad” Rory says, then takes a look around. “Have any of you seen Alex? I have to talk to her about something.” 

“Uh, I saw her earlier but now… I don’t know where she went” Bridget responds after doing a quick scan of the room, “I could go look for her, if you want.” 

“No, it’s okay” She smiles softly, “Well, I’ll be over there if you guys need anything.” 

“Cool, thanks, Miss Gilmore.” 

“Yeah, thanks.” 

Rory walks back towards the chaperones’ table, but is suddenly distracted by a waiter passing through with crab puffs. She takes a couple and stuffs them in her mouth, before bumping right into someone as she turns around. 

“Andrew! I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you” She immediately apologizes, with her mouth still a bit full, and he just chuckles. 

“That’s alright. Those crab puffs really are delicious, aren’t they?” 

“Mm-hm” Rory mumbles as she swallows, “Very distracting too, so it seems.” 

“So, are you having a good time?” Andrew asks. 

“Definitely. What about you?” 

“Well, I just got here, but it’s not bad” He replies, then grimaces when he spots another colleague, one of the older faculty members, waving at him from the other side of room. “Sorry, I have to go, but save me a dance, okay?” 

“Oh, sure” Rory nods, and watches as he walks away. 

When she gets near the chaperones’ table, Jess is nowhere to be seen. Rory looks around to see if she can find him, but no such luck. Where could he possibly have gone? 

Rory is about to call him when he walks back into the room, sneaking a pack of cigarettes into his pocket. “I didn’t know you still smoked” She says as she walks up to him, crossing her arms. 

“Only occasionally” He replies simply. “I _ could _ quit if I wanted to.” 

“Then why don’t you?” 

“Some things are just hard to let go of.” 

“I guess so, but I’m pretty sure you’d be better off without smoking”. 

“Maybe”. 

“Anyway, how did the game go? Do I still have a car?” 

Jess can’t help but chuckle. “Easiest three hundred bucks I ever made” He says, showing her the money and Rory’s eyes go wide. 

“How’d you manage that?” She asks, furrowing her brows. 

“I’m just really good at poker. Well, that or the people you work with are _ really _ bad at it” Jess shrugs, “Hey, you know what I was thinking about?” 

“No, but do enlighten me.” 

“About your book. Are you sure you don’t want to publish it?” 

_ Her book _. They haven’t discussed that in a long time, and to be frank, Rory hasn’t thought about it much either. She’s just in such a different place now, and then there’s also the thing with the ending. The one thing she still hasn’t been able to figure out. 

“I don’t know. I’m still not set on an ending for it” She says and her eyes dart over to her shoes before she turns to face Jess again.

He nods with understanding. “I hope you get to finish it someday. It’s a good book, Ror.” 

“Thanks. But shouldn’t you be focusing on your own book now? The mysterious novel I know little to nothing about?” 

“I can focus on two things at a time, you know” Jess says, “And it’s not mysterious, there’s just not enough to say about it yet.” 

“I don’t believe you” She retorts, shooting him a skeptical look. “Come on, give me something! Anything.”

“Fine” Jess concedes, “I can give you… the working title.” 

“The working title? Seriously?”

“Take it or leave it, Gilmore.” 

“Okay. Tell me.” 

“_ The Wreck of Our Hearts _. Again, I’m not set on it yet, but it’s what I have for now.” 

“_ The Wreck of Our Hearts _, written by Jess Mariano” She nods in approval, “You know, I really like the sound of that.” 

“Thank you. Now can we drop this?” 

“Yeah. _ For now _.” 

“Oh, jeez…” 

(…) 

“He’s out like a light” Lorelai tells Luke as she closes the door to Rory’s bedroom behind her. 

“Already?” Her husband checks, and she nods. 

“I’m gonna miss this when they move out” Lorelai sighs, taking a seat at the table. 

Luke finishes doing the dishes, then dries his hands off with a dishcloth before sitting down next to Lorelai. “I know” He says, “But we still don’t know when that will be. I thought Rory was having trouble finding an apartment?” 

“She is, but… I don’t know, maybe I’m overreacting” She shakes her head, “I just don’t want to miss out on him growing up. And I don’t want you to miss out, either.” 

“We won’t” Luke assures her, squeezing her hand. “Even if they don’t live here anymore, we’ll still see them everyday. This won’t change that.” 

“I guess” Lorelai shrugs, then goes silent for a moment, thinking back to when they were considering having another kid. Before they got married and before they knew Rory was pregnant. When exactly did they give up on that idea? Did they really give up on it, or did life just get in the way? 

“Lorelai? You okay?” 

“Luke, do you remember when we talked about having a kid together, a couple years back?” 

He furrows his brows, a bit confused. “Yeah, why?” 

“Well, after Paul Anka, I _ thought _ I wanted another dog. But I think that’s not really… what I want.” 

“What do you want, then?” 

“I want a baby. I want us, to have a baby, together.” She says, and inhales deeply as she does so, “I don’t think I ever stopped wanting that.” 

Luke just blinks, as he tries to wrap his head around what Lorelai’s just told him. If they’d had this conversation ten, twelve years ago, his answer would’ve been much different, but now… he can’t see it. As much as he had wanted them to have children together in the past, Luke can’t help but feel like their time to do that has passed. 

“Lorelai… We still have Richie to think about and—” 

“Richie is Rory’s kid, Luke” She insists, huffing gently. “I just thought... I thought this was what you wanted too. I mean, with the Twhickam house and—"

“That was years ago, Lorelai” Luke rubs a hand over his face. “I thought we had dropped this. After Rory got pregnant, I thought we both agreed that it wasn’t the time.” 

“Well, you must’ve had that conversation with your other wife, because you and I never discussed that.”

“This— Why isn’t our life together enough for you? We’re married, and last I checked we were happy. When did that change?”

“I never said that. Of course it’s enough, it’s more than enough! But I want—” 

“Right, _ you _ want” He cuts in, “It’s always about what _ you _ want. We live where you want, we do what you want, but have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe, what _ I _ want matters too?” 

“That is not fair and you know it.” Lorelai responds, and she can feel her voice begin to break.

“Lorelai, I love you. I love you, and I love our life together” Luke tells her, “But I can’t just keep going along with every idea you have on a whim. It doesn’t work that way.” 

“This is not a whim!” She protests. “We _ never _ said kids were off the table. We just put that on hold so we could help Rory out while she got her life back together, and she _ has _, so what’s the excuse now?” 

“We don’t need an excuse. This isn’t practical, and deep down, you know it.” 

“Forget practical! No one gets anywhere by being practical!” 

“I can’t discuss this with you anymore.” Luke gets up and heads towards the hallway. “Because we both know this will only end when you get your way, it’s always been like that, hasn’t it?” 

“Luke, where are you going?” Lorelai asks, chasing after him.

“I need to clear my head, before we both say something we regret.” He tells her, then walks out the door. 

Lorelai’s breath hitches as the front door slams closed. She sits down on the couch, burying her face in her hands. And as much as she tries to, she can’t stop herself from crying. 

(…) 

“Rory!” Maureen cries as she gets back to the table, “Your friend here is such a kick!” She exclaims, tapping Jess on the shoulder and _ giggles _ . Rory had never seen Maureen giggle before. _ Guess the punch got to her. _

“Really?” Rory checks, raising an eyebrow at her, and tries not to sound too skeptical. 

Jess has retired his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves, revealing just how defined his arms are. Not that Rory _ really _ noticed. 

“Oh, definitely.” Maureen replies, and Rory really doesn’t like the way she’s looking — no, _ gazing _ at Jess.

“So, Maureen, how’s Arthur?” She asks innocently, sipping on her club soda, and the woman quickly backs away from Jess’ personal space at the mention of her husband. 

“He’s very well, thank you” Maureen nods, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. “How is your grandmother? I haven’t spoken to her in ages, not ever since she quit the DAR.” 

“Well, I’m glad. And grandma’s great. Last I heard, she was in Ireland. Says it’s beautiful there.” Rory replies, putting on a tight smile, and Maureen does the same in return. 

“That sounds wonderful” The woman says before rising to her feet. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to check on the crab puffs.” 

“Okay, we’ll be here.” 

“Huh” Jess turns to Rory, his eyes slightly narrowed, “Interesting.” 

“What is?” 

“The way you channeled your grandmother just now.” 

“I did not!” She protests, “I just asked her how her husband was, is that a crime?” 

“Whatever you say” He raises his hands in mock-surrender, with the hint of a smirk on his face. 

“What?” 

“Nothin’. It’s just… funny to see you jealous.” 

“_ Jealous _?” Rory checks, bewildered. “Why on Earth would I be jealous? I am not jealous.” 

“Okay, you’re not jealous.” He concedes with a shrug, “My bad.”

“Right, I’m not” She says, folding her arms over her chest. “I was just trying to help _ you _.” 

“Help me?” 

“What, so you’re saying you were _ enjoying _ the attention?” 

“Sure. It did wonders for my ego” Jess quips, resting a hand on his knee. “The attention of an older woman tends to do that to a fella.” 

“Oh, _ god _” She groans, making a face, and they both laugh. 

They sit in silence for a moment, ‘til a slower song comes on — _ Sway _, by The Perishers — and people begin to pair off and head towards the dance floor. 

Jess gets up from his chair, then offers Rory a hand. “Come on” He says, with a warm look in his eyes, “I think I owe you a dance.” 

Rory fails to contain the smile on her face as she tentatively takes his hand into her own, and lets him lead them onto the floor. 

_ I talk to you as to a friend, I hope that's what you've come to be… _

They slowly lace their fingers together as she places her other hand on his shoulder, and he wraps his free arm around her. 

_ It feels as though we've made amends _

_Like we found a way eventually… _

“You’re pretty quiet” Jess notes, “Am I really such a bad dancer?” He half-whispers, narrowing his eyes at her.

“No, it’s not that” She shakes her head, “It’s just… nothing. This is nice.” 

“Yeah, it is” He agrees easily. 

As the tempo picks up, Jess leads Rory into a spin and she clumsily spirals back into him, bringing them a lot closer together. 

_ I don't want to hurt you, I don't want to make you sway… _

Rory rests her chin on his shoulder, and closes her eyes, taking him in. The faint smell of cigarettes mixed with his cologne and the warmth of his body against hers.

_ Like I know I've done before, I will not do it anymore… _

This is dangerous territory, they both know this, but something, whatever it is, just keeps pulling them back in. 

“Jess, I—” She trails off, backing away a little. Everything about this feels so right... So right, that it’s almost wrong. 

Maybe it’s her self-sabotaging tendency, or maybe it’s the way he’s looking at her… The only thing Rory does know is that part of her wishes she could just— 

“Sorry, do you mind if I cut in?” She suddenly hears Andrew’s voice say, and this odd feeling of relief washes over her. 

“Not at all” Rory smiles.

“_ Yes _” Jess says at the same time, without thinking. “Sorry. Old reflex.” He bows his head, then pulls away from her. 

“I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Andrew, Andrew Reid” He introduces himself to Jess, extending a hand for him to shake, which he reluctantly does so. 

“Jess Mariano. Nice to meet you.” 

“Andrew is the head of the English department” Rory supplies, unsure why she has this sudden need to explain herself. “I promised I’d save him a dance.”

“Head of the department? Wow, that sounds important” Jess states flatly. 

“Trust me, it’s not” Andrew replies. “So, you’re Rory’s…” 

“Friend.” 

“Right. I just assumed—” 

“Common mistake. Has been happening a lot tonight, so don’t worry” Jess tells him. “Well, I’ll leave you to it.” He nods at them, before walking away and towards the punch table. 

Jess watches as Rory and Andrew awkwardly join hands and move together to _ Time After Time _, and pours himself another glass of the spiked punch. 

“Ouch, that must sting” He hears someone say, and turns to find a teenage girl standing next to him, contemptuously looking in that same direction. 

“Excuse me?” 

“Seeing someone else dance with your girlfriend. Can’t feel too good, I’d say.”

“She’s _ not _ my girlfriend” Jess mutters lamely. 

“If that’s your story” She shrugs, “Girlfriend or not… Judging by the way you were looking at her before, and the way you’re glaring at Mr. Reid right now, one could assume that you’re not exactly enjoying this.” 

“First, I’m not glaring at anyone. And second, didn’t your parents teach you to mind your own business?” 

The girl sticks out her bottom lip, and fakes a sob. “My parents are dead.” She sniffles, covering her mouth with one hand.

“Oh, I’m so sor—” 

“Kidding” She laughs, amused by the panicked look on his face. “That ought to teach you not to be an asshole.” 

“Ha, ha” Jess deadpans. “In that case, my former statement still stands. Now, beat it.” 

“Oh, damn, who hurt you? I mean, besides Miss Gilmore over there.”

“Miss Gilmore?” He questions, raising an eyebrow, “So you’re one of her students…” Then, Jess remembers the student Rory mentioned when she told him about her first day as a teacher. 

“Alex” He says as he realizes. 

“Once again, my reputation precedes me. I am _ very _ flattered” Alex retorts, crossing her arms. “I don’t know what Miss G told you about me, but I must’ve made quite an impression.” 

“Yeah, you sounded like one hell of a pain in the ass.” 

She stifles a laugh, then narrows her eyes at him. “Are you allowed to talk to me like that?” 

Jess just shrugs. “I’m not your teacher, am I?” 

“Fair enough” The girl nods, a slight smirk on her face. “Anyway, what’s the story between you and my English teacher?” 

“It’s a _ long _ story.” 

“Hey, I have nowhere else to be” Alex says, filling a cup with the spiked punch. “Not until this thing is over, anyway.” 

“Careful, that punch is ninety percent vodka” Jess tells her as he watches her take a sip of her drink. 

“I know” She whispers in a tone of conspiracy, “I’m the one who spiked it.” 

“You— Why would you tell me that?” 

“Because I know you won’t tell.” 

“What makes you think that?” 

“I don’t know, you just don’t seem like a narc.” 

“You’re right. I’m not.” 

“Now, the story…?” Alex insists, looking at him expectantly. 

“There’s really not much to tell.” 

“I thought you said it was a _long_ story.” 

“Jeez, okay” He gives in, rolling his eyes at her. “We met when we were seventeen, dated for a few months when were eighteen, broke up and have been friends ever since. That’s it.” 

“Just friends?” Alex checks, “No benefits?” 

“Nope.” 

“Uh-huh. Did you love her?” 

Jess doesn’t reply, but she takes his silence as a yes. 

“Because, I think you did” The girl continues, “And, clearly, you still do. Question is, what are you going to do about it?” 

He snorts. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

“Maybe not. But whether you admit it or not, seeing Miss Gilmore and Mr. Reid together made you jealous. That means something.” 

“It didn’t make me jealous. It didn’t make me… anything.” 

“Whatever helps you sleep at night” Alex says, downing the rest of her punch. Then, she sees Rory walking towards them, and figures it’s time for her to go. “Ooh, that’s my cue. Bye, Jess.” 

“How did you…?” 

“Name tag” She says over her shoulder, before walking away. 

“Um… were you just talking to Alex?” Rory asks as she comes up to Jess, looking a little confused. 

“Yeah” He nods, “Cool kid. A little talkative for my taste, and nosy as all hell, but…” 

“Talkative? You’re kidding” Rory shakes her head in disbelief. “I’m lucky if she says more than three words in class. But I figured you two would hit it off.” 

“I guess there _ is _ some kind of similarity there.”

“So, what did you two talk about?” 

“Nothing important. What did you and Anthony talk about?” 

“_ Andrew _. And not much. The writing contest, the poker game…” 

“Huh.” 

“Jess, seriously, what’s the matter?” 

“What’s the story with you and that guy?” He asks. 

“There _ is _ no story. We’re… friends. Friendly.” Rory says, folding her arms over her chest. “And I might’ve had a _ small _ crush on him for a week, but that was it.” 

“Okay. You don’t need to explain yourself to me, Rory.” 

“You’re right, I don’t. Why am I, then?” 

“I’m sorry. It's just… something feels off about that guy, is all.” 

“And you’re saying this based on what? The two seconds you spoke to him for?” 

Jess’ jaw tightens, and he sighs. “I’m just looking out for you, is all.” 

“That’s bull.” 

“What?” 

“Look, if us dancing together bothered you, I think it’d be better if you went ahead and said it, instead of pretending you’re ‘just looking out for me’.” 

“It didn’t bother me. It _ doesn’t _ bother me. You can do whatever you want with whoever you want, it’s not my problem.” 

“All these years, and you _ still _ can’t be fully honest with me” She huffs in frustration. “I guess there’s no surprise there.” 

“Whatever. I’m leaving.” He hands her car keys back and just walks out, leaving her standing there alone, once again. 

(…) 

About half an hour later, Rory is ready to leave. She grabs her coat and goes outside, heading towards the parking lot, but stops in her tracks when she sees a girl she knows throwing up into a trash can. 

“Alex?” Rory approaches her, putting a hand to her shoulder. 

“Oh, hey teach” Alex gulps as she stumbles back and away from the trash can. “How’s it going?”

Rory sighs and decides to skip the lecture this time. “Come on, I’ll give you a ride home.” She says, and the girl just follows along, without a word. 

“I understand it now” Alex tells Rory as she gets into the passenger seat, “Why you are so keen on helping me.” 

“You do?” 

“Yeah” She nods, “Before I just thought you had this kind of… savior complex, which I haven’t completely ruled out yet, but the real reason is because I remind you of your friend, Jess.” 

Rory winces slightly at the mention of his name, but Alex doesn’t seem to notice. “What makes you say that?” 

“I don’t know. Maybe I’m wrong – or just drunk, but… I could see it. Whatever it is that makes us… similar, in a way.” 

“You’re right” Rory admits, “You do remind me of him quite a bit. But that’s not the reason why I want to help you, Alex.” 

“It’s not?” 

“No. It’s because I think you’re talented and you have potential to do more, and be anything you want to be, but you just need someone to give you that push, like Jess did.” 

Alex goes silent for a moment, then breathes deeply. “Okay.” 

“Okay, what?” 

“I’ll join the stupid contest” She says, slurring her words. “But only if you stop by Taco Bell on the way to my house. I need a taco.” 

“Really?” Rory checks, and her face lights up when Alex nods. “Alright then. You have yourself a deal.”

“_ Grrreat _” The girl drawls, then turns to Rory with a serious face. “Hey, you won’t be mad if I throw up in your car, right?”

(…) 

When Luke gets home, Lorelai is already in bed. He hates fighting with her, and he hates himself even more for walking out, when he was the one who said he would never leave. 

“Lorelai?” He calls quietly, as he kicks off his shoes and climbs onto the bed. 

She rolls around at the sound of his voice, and squints at him. “Luke?” 

“Hey” Luke says, lying down next to her. “I’m really sorry, for everything ” He strokes her face with his thumb gently and Lorelai exhales through her nose. 

“Me too” She tells him, mimicking his gesture. “I didn’t mean for things to get out of hand like that. We don’t have to do anything you don’t to do.” 

“I don’t know… what I want” He admits with a shrug. “I need time to think about it. To _ really _ consider it.” 

“That’s fine with me” Lorelai nods, and smiles. “Take all the time you need. I promise I won’t push.” 

“Thank you” Luke says, then kisses her, cupping her face with one of his hands. “I’m going to shower first, then I’ll come back to bed, okay?” 

“Okay” She replies as he climbs out of the bed and heads towards the bathroom. “Hey, Luke?” Lorelai calls, making him turn around. 

“Yeah?“

“In case I don’t say it enough… I love you.” 

He smiles at that. “I love you, too.” 

(…)


	8. The One Where Lorelai Knows Best

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Still reeling from the events of the previous night, Rory and Jess do their best to avoid each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone!! hope you’re all well and that it hasn’t been too long. i hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think in the comments! happy reading <3

Rory still hasn’t heard from Jess. Not a word. She spent the entire weekend staring at her phone, hoping he’d call or text or just show up at her door, but he didn’t.

Maybe she should take the high road and be the one to try and make amends, but he is the one who left, not her. He’s the one who wouldn’t admit that seeing her with Andrew bothered him, when it clearly did. So why should _she_ have to apologize to _him_?

Everything about this is unbelievably frustrating, and as much as Rory has tried to take her mind off of it, she can’t. It’s just… eating at her.

Monday morning comes, and Rory passes the diner on her way to Weston’s, and as she looks through the window, she sees him.

Jess is behind the counter reading, so he doesn’t look back, and Rory drives away before he has a chance to. She _hates_ this. Having to avoid him… and drink subpar coffee in order to do so.

She sighs, tightening her grip on the steering wheel, and turns up the volume on the stereo as _I Try_ by Macy Gray comes on. If only she wasn’t so stubborn…

**

Jess closes his beat-up copy of _On the Road_ and rolls it so it fits into the back pocket of his jeans. Before he can head upstairs, Lorelai comes into the diner, and Jess just knows he won’t be able to get away quickly enough to avoid her.

Lorelai Gilmore is simply _unavoidable_.

“Hey, Jess” She greets him with a warm smile. That makes him wonder if Rory has told her about what happened at the dance.

“Hey. Coffee?” He offers, pulling the pot from the coffee maker and Lorelai nods gratefully.

“Yeah, thanks” She says and Jess fills a cup with steaming, hot coffee, sliding it over to her. “So, how are you doing?”

Even after years of having a friendly relationship with her, Lorelai showing any kind of concern for his wellbeing still feels strange, and only the slightest bit suspicious.

“Okay” Jess replies vaguely, “You?”

“Fine, fine.” She gives him a slow nod, then lets out a sigh. “Listen, you know me. I’m not exactly one to beat around the bush, so here goes: You and Rory _need_ to make up.”

And just like that, the other shoe drops. “We will, eventually” He replies, not really looking her in the eye.

“Good, because this whole thing is ridiculous” Lorelai tells him, taking a sip of her coffee. “I don’t know all the details to what happened on Friday, but I do know that you’re Rory’s friend and she needs you. And I think you need her too.”

He knows she’s right. Jess also knows that any day that goes by without him being able to talk to Rory is just… not a good day, meaning this weekend was torture. 

Jess exhales gently and runs a hand over his chin. “You’re right” He mumbles, his voice barely there.

“What was that?” Lorelai leans closer towards the counter, with a hand behind her ear, pretending she didn’t hear him at first.

He does his best not to roll his eyes at her. “I said you’re right.” Jess all but groans, and that elicits a smirk from Lorelai.

“Well, of course I am” She says, “I’m an incredibly wise woman. It’s one of my many talents.”

“No doubt in that” He deadpans as he fills her cup with more coffee.

“Mock away, my friend, but you will thank me later” Lorelai assures him, then hops off the stool. “Now, could you grab me a couple of donuts to go, please?”

The corners of Jess’ mouth quirk up. “Coming right up.”

He hands the paper to-go back to her, and shakes his head as he watches her leave.

Now all he needs is to find a way to tell Rory he’s sorry and admit to her (and to himself) that seeing her with Andrew bothered him, even if he can’t quite explain why.

**

Rory is walking down the hallway, when Andrew catches up with her. “Rory, hi” He grins, then hands her one of the paper cups he’s holding. “I got you a cappuccino.”

“Oh, thank you!” She smiles, taking a sip of the drink. “I was just about to go to the teacher’s lounge to get my coffee fix before my next class, so you saved me a trip.”

“I didn’t know how you took your coffee, but most people like cappuccinos, so that seemed like a no-brainer, but then I thought maybe you could be allergic to dairy, and got you almond milk instead” Andrew explains, then suddenly stops himself, grimacing. “Sorry, I’m babbling.”

“It’s okay. I tend to babble more than most people, so I get it” Rory assures him, “And I am not allergic to dairy — thank God — but I do like almond milk, so I appreciate that. It was very thoughtful of you.”

“Almost too thoughtful, I’d say” He half-chuckles, “I don’t usually tend to overthink drink orders, but this one got me stumped.”

“I don’t blame you, I mean, I _am_ very mysterious” Rory quips, raising an eyebrow at him. “Who knows how I take my coffee? Maybe black, maybe with cream and sugar… It gets you thinking, for sure.”

“Sure does” Andrew nods, amused. “Oh, and I saw you got Alex Becker to join the writing contest! How’d you manage that?”

“You know her?”

“I was her teacher last year. Bright girl, but I couldn’t quite get through to her” He says, then offers a kind smile. “I’m glad you’re being able to, though.”

Rory smiles back. “Thank you. We still have a long way to go, but hey, some progress is still progress.”

“_God_, get a room” A student passing by sneers, making the two girls walking beside her laugh. Rory doesn’t even have to look twice to know Francine Jarvis’ younger sister, Annabeth, was the source of that little comment.

“Jeez” Rory shakes her head, “I might’ve made some progress with Alex, but I feel like Annabeth might be a tougher nut to crack.”

“Well, if anyone can do it, it’s you” Andrew tells her, and he seems to mean it. “Sometimes all these kids need is a chance, someone to believe in them and in what they have to offer.”

“That’s what I think, too” She says, smiling. “My whole life I’ve been told I’m too naïve and that I always try to see the good in people, but as you said, sometimes that’s all they need. Although, I might’ve gotten a little more cynical over the years.”

“Adulthood will do that to you” He agrees easily, with a slight nod. “Although, I wouldn’t call you naïve. You’re just naturally good.”

Rory’s smile widens. “Thanks” She replies, then shoots him a skeptical look. “But you barely know me. How can you tell whether I’m a good person or not?”

“What can I say? I am an excellent judge of character” Andrew shrugs simply and glances over at his wristwatch. “Sorry, I have to go, but I’ll see you soon.”

“Bye” Rory waves at him as he walks away and looks over his shoulder at her, “Thanks for the coffee again!” She raises the now empty cup towards him, and he smiles.

On her way to her next class, Rory suddenly feels much lighter than she did earlier this morning. Bubbly, even. And it’s not a bad feeling at all.

**

“So, Ryan sent us yet another manuscript last week” Matthew tells Jess, then reaches for the script on his coffee table, flipping absently through the pages. “This one has a little more something to it, though, because Agent Danny Eagle is not only fighting this group of terrorists, he is also trying to salvage his marriage with his wife, Diane Eagle.”

Jess can’t help but laugh at that. “Since when does Danny have a wife? Didn’t he do it with the femme fatale from the first book… What was her name again?”

His friend lets out an exasperated sigh. “Felicity Danger. His affair with the sensual Felicity — which, by the way, is the only word he ever used to describe her — is what broke up his marriage with Diane.”

“Well, there is some intrigue to that” Jess teases, his eyebrows shooting up. “At least he listened to you when you said the story was too predictable.”

“All I know is that… _I’m too old for this shit_” Matthew says, doing his terrible Robert Murtaugh impression.

“Come on, you know you love this job.”

“Maybe” He half-shrugs, “Still, I am definitely not paid well enough for the atrocities I have to read everyday.”

“Well, well, well…” Chris says as he appears into the frame and sits down next to Matthew on the couch with a scowl. “Hello, _traitor_.”

Jess smirks in response. “Hey, Chris. You’re seriously still mad at me?”

Chris’ expression softens, and there is a hint of a smile on his face. “Only a little, just because I gotta stick to my principles. But anyway, how are things over there?”

“They’re okay. I have the first ten chapters of the book lined up, and I’ve written five of them, which is good and everything else is… fine.”

His friends share a look, then eye him suspiciously. “That doesn’t sound too convincing, Mariano” Chris notes, and Matthew nods in agreement.

“He _has_ been more vague than usual lately.”

Jess lets out a sigh. “I swear, everything is fine”. 

“Come on, we’re starved for entertainment here!” Matthew insists, “The Victoria/Jess/Rory love triangle is far more exciting than the one in Ryan’s novel.”

“There is no love triangle!” He protests.

“Right, because it’s probably more of a love _quadrangle_” Chris says, turning to Matthew. “Him, Victoria, Rory and the baby daddy. It’s a square, man.”

“It’s not a square either!”

“What is it, then? A pentagon?”

Jess rubs his face with both his hands and groans. “You two are impossible.”

Before Chris and Matthew can continue to mercilessly tease Jess, Chris’ cellphone starts ringing. “I gotta take this” He says, and then moves away from the camera. “Hey, babe” Jess can hear him say in the background.

“Who’s that? His mom?” He jokes, and Matthew snorts.

The call takes a few minutes, so in the meantime, Jess and Matthew continue to discuss the Danny Eagle series, arguing about who Danny will end up with: Diane or Felicity.

“Of course he’ll pick Felicity” Matthew says, “She is hot, challenging… and if he really loved Diane, he wouldn’t have cheated, so I think I’ll go with Miss Danger on this one.”

“Maybe, or maybe he will pick Diane because she’s the less obvious choice” Jess argues, “I mean, she _is_ the guy’s wife.”

Before their discussion can continue, Chris sits back down on the couch, with a dumbstruck look on his face. “Matthew, why does Chris look like he just had a stroke?”

“I don’t know” Matt frowns and turns to Chris. “Hey, who was it on the phone? You look pale. Is everything okay?”

Chris sighs. “Everything is great” He smiles, shaking his head. “Jenna’s pregnant. We’re having a baby!”

Jess’ jaw suddenly drops. “What?” He and Matthew say at the same time.

“Congratulations!” Matthew yells and his voice booms through the speakers on Jess’ computer. He then pulls Chris into a tight hug, and the two laugh.

“Holy shit” Jess can barely contain the smile on his face. “You’re going to be a dad! Congrats, man. You and Jenna deserve this.”

“Thank you, guys” Chris says, then puts on a serious face, pointing his finger at the camera, “You better be back soon, because this kid will need his Uncle Jess here.”

“You got it” He nods, “I promise I’ll be back before Jenna goes into labor.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

“Hey, are you guys doing godparents?” Matthew asks, “If so, I call dibs on being the godfather.”

“You can’t get dibs on being a godparent!”

“Of course I can, I just did” Matt shrugs, “You can be _my_ kid’s godfather, and then Chris will be _your_ kid’s godfather and—”

“Why do I have to be your hypothetical child’s godfather? Does Benjamin even want kids?”

“Well… I don’t know” Matthew says lamely, “Still, the rotation works! Chris, what do you say?”

“Mm, I guess out of the two of you, Jess _is_ the more paternal one…”

“Excuse me, I may not be as ‘paternal’ as Jess, but I would still kick ass at being a godparent.”

“Do you even know what a godparent does?” Chris asks, raising an eyebrow at him.

“In case you and Jenna both kick the bucket, I get to raise the kid, right?”

“Okay, you’re disqualified.”

“What? Why?”

“Because you used the expression ‘kick the bucket’ when referring to me and Jenna dying, and that just shows you have zero respect for our deaths.”

“Jesus, it’s hypothetical! You’re not _actually_ dead!”

“Forget it, Matt. Jess is the godfather.”

“Wait, really?” Jess checks, and Matthew stares at Chris in disbelief.

“Didn’t you just call him a traitor?”

“I never said that” Chris says, feigning innocence.

“Hey Jess, could you give us a hand downstairs?” Luke calls from the door, “The place is packed, and Caesar has to leave soon to go to his dentists appointment.”

“Okay, I’ll be down in a sec” Jess replies, and his uncle just nods in response, before going back downstairs. “Sorry, guys. I gotta go. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Bye” Matthew says, rolling his eyes. “Just know, this discussion isn’t over.”

“Sure it isn’t, Matt” Jess tells him, biting back a laugh.

“Take care, Mariano.” Chris says, also trying not to laugh.

“You too. And congratulations again.”

“Thanks.”

They end the call and Jess closes his laptop, putting it back on the coffee table and then heads downstairs to help out his uncle, still unable to wipe the smile off his face.

**

The rest of Rory’s day goes by fairly quickly, which is good. After dinner, she takes a long, hot shower and then heads back to her room to get dressed.

Before she can grab her pajamas, her phone starts ringing on the bedside table. Rory picks it up and is surprised to see Logan’s name displayed on the screen. “Hello?” She answers as she puts the phone to her ear.

“Ace, hi” Logan replies, his voice low and gruff.

“Is everything okay?” Rory checks, then mentally calculates their time difference, something she learned during their ill-timed affair. “It’s kind of late over there, isn’t it?”

“I’m not in London, actually. I had to come to Hartford to check on my mother after her lip fillings went wrong” He explains, and Rory does her best not to laugh as she tries to get an image in her head of what Shira’s lips might look like now.

“Oh, um, is it bad?”

“Well, she’ll live, but she still looks like Lisa Rinna if she had also been stung by a bee.”

“I’m sorry” Rory says, muffling her laugh with a towel. “That sounds… terrible.”

“You can laugh, you know? I did for about twenty minutes after she sent me a picture this morning. Hold on, I’ll send it to you.”

Rory then receives a text notification from Logan, and as she looks at the picture, she laughs so hard that her stomach hurts, and Logan chuckles too. “Oh, my God”.

“I told you it was bad.”

“It’s probably the funniest thing I’ve seen all day” She tells him, attempting to stop laughing. “I’m sorry, you probably called me for a reason, so, uh… what’s up?”

_What’s up?_ Rory thinks to herself, making a face and sits down on her bed.

“No reason, I just… wanted to talk to you” Logan says quietly, “I guess I needed to hear your voice.”

Rory goes silent for a second, then sighs. “Is something wrong, Logan?” She asks.

He breathes deeply. “My divorce was finalized yesterday. It’s over.”

“Oh” Is all she can come up with to say, “I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, well… It was a long time coming, but it still sucks.”

“Yeah” Rory nods, pressing her lips together. Then, it’s like her mouth has a life of its own, and the words just… spill out. “Do you want to come over? To talk, maybe have a drink?”

It’s a terrible, terrible idea. She knows that. Is it too late to take it back?

“Really?” Logan checks, sounding pleasantly surprised. “What about your mom and Luke?”

“They’re already in bed. Richie wanted to sleep in their room tonight, too”.

“Okay” He says brightly, “I’ll see you soon.”

“Okay. See you, bye.”

Rory hangs up and curses under her breath as she puts her phone down on her bed.

What was she thinking? Inviting the guy who had the gall to ask for shared custody of their son over for a nightcap? Who does that? Well, her, apparently.

Rory grabs a dark green sweater and jeans, and intentionally picks out the least sexy pair of underwear she has, so she won’t be tempted to do something she might regret.

She combs her hair and puts it up in a bun, but then remembers that Logan likes her hair up, so she snatches the tie off and decides to wear it down instead.

She’s pacing around her room when the doorbell rings. Rory rushes through the hallway and opens the door, flashing Logan a slight smile. “Hey” She says casually, “Come in.”

“Hi” He says, then goes in for an awkward hug, that lasts about three seconds, because Rory quickly pulls away and leads the way to kitchen.

Logan takes a look around, almost as if he had never been there before, and watches as Rory takes out two glasses from the cabinet, making each of them an Old Fashioned.

“You like these, right?” She asks, even though she knows for a fact that he does, and hands him his drink.

“I do” Logan replies, taking a sip. He nods approvingly. “Not bad, Ace.”

“Let’s go to the porch” Rory says, opening the back door. “We have a swing there now. It’s nice.”

“Sure.”

It’s not too cold outside, even though it is still a bit windy. The two take a seat on the porch swing, and just drink in silence, until Rory chooses to break it. “So, how are you feeling? About the divorce?”

“I’m… okay. The whole thing was pretty amicable, but it’s hard.”

“I understand” She says, tracing circles on the rim of her glass with her index finger. “I– I really thought you two were happy.”

“We were, for a while” He huffs. “But then… things got too complicated. Beyond fix.”

“Not much you can do there, then.”

“I guess not.”

Rory looks down at her shoes, turns to face Logan again. She opens her mouth to say something, but before she can get anything out, Logan kisses her. And for a moment, she lets him.

He cups her face with both of his hands and it would so easy for her to simply melt into the kiss, but she abruptly pulls away instead, nearly knocking over her glass. “What are you doing?” She pants, her blue eyes widened.

“I don’t know. I thought—”

“Well, stop thinking!” Rory nearly yells, running a hand through her hair. “Jesus, Logan.”

“You’re the one who invited me here at 11 PM on a Monday, Ace. What do you expect me to think?”

“I invited you here to talk! I _specifically_ said that!”

“It was just a kiss!” He exclaims, raising his hands in exasperation. “Why are you freaking out?”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe because you’re currently suing me for custody and because this” She then gestures between them, “Can’t happen again. Ever.”

“I am not suing you!”

“Not long until you do, though, right?”

“I don’t know” Logan shakes his head. “I think it would be best if we tried to find a way to solve this without getting lawyers involved.”

Rory drops her arms to her sides. “I agree.”

“Why would it be so bad?” Logan asks, after a beat of silence.

“Why would what be so bad?”

“Us. If we tried again.” He says, standing up, “You act like it’s the worst thing in the world—”

“It is! It would be a mistake. A huge one.” She tells him firmly.

“So you’re telling me that when you were a kid, you didn’t want your parents to get back together?”

“That’s not—”

“Richie will want that. Maybe not now, but when he’s old enough. You know how that feels, probably better than anyone.”

“I wasn’t any less happy or felt any less loved because my parents weren’t together, and even if part of me wanted them to be, I know now that it wasn’t meant to be for them, like it’s not for us.”

“Why do we keep going back to each other, then?”

“I don’t know, maybe we’re sadists.”

“One way or the other, it always comes back to us, Rory. It always has.”

“Well, it shouldn’t” She says, crossing her arms. “I can’t do this again, Logan. I just can’t.”

He huffs gently, then takes a step closer towards her. “Give me one good reason why not.”

Rory closes her eyes and sighs, before looking over at him again. “Because I don’t like who I am when I’m with you.” She tells him, breathing shakily.

Logan’s expression darkens. “Fair enough” He says, with a slow nod. “I should go.”

She doesn’t argue, and just lets him leave.

**

Jess is lying on the couch, watching an episode of _The Office_, when he hears a knock on the door. He glances at the clock and sees that it’s past eleven, so he wonders who would be at his doorstep at this hour.

He forces himself to get up and is surprised to find Rory standing there. Jess notices the tear stains on her face and the way she’s shaking, and just wraps his arms around her, pulling her close.

She sobs into his shoulder, then pulls away, still keeping a hold on his arms. “I’m sorry” Rory says, then sniffles. “About… everything. I was unfair and horrible and—”

“Hey, hey, stop” He tells her, “I’m the one who should be sorry. I shouldn’t have left and I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did to…” Jess sighs deeply, “It bothered me.”

“What?”

“You… and Andrew. It bothered me. I don’t know why, and it doesn’t mean that I—”

The ghost of a smile appears on her face. “I know.” She says, squeezing one of his hands, “Just… thank you for being honest with me.”

He smiles softly, and moves her hair away from her face. “You’ve been crying. What happened?”

“Logan” She sniffles again, “He… he was in Hartford, and he called me and told me that his divorce was final, and he seemed down, so I stupidly invited him over to talk and then he… He kissed me.”

“He kissed you?”

“Yes” Rory says, inhaling deeply. “And I kind of… kissed him back, but immediately realized it was a mistake. Then he went on and on about how we’re perfect for each other and how we should be a family for Richie and then I—”

“You…?”

“I told him that… I don’t like the person I am when I’m around him, and he left, so...”

Jess doesn’t say anything — truth be told, he doesn’t really know what he should say here or what Rory expects him to say.

“And then…” She continues, “I realized that the only person I wanted to talk to wasn’t there, so I came here.” Rory’s eyes meet his, and she looks like she might start crying again. “Please say something.” She pleads, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I think you did the right thing” Jess tells her, still unsure of what to say.

“What if he’s right? What if… we’re actually supposed to be together, even if it’s hard, and messy?”

“He’s not.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I think you deserve to be with someone who complements you, not someone who lets you forget who you are.”

Rory doesn’t say anything else, she just hugs him again, holding him tight. “Thank you” She says quietly, and he kisses the top of her head.

“Anytime.” He replies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry about any mistakes, i had to edit this on my phone which, as you can imagine, was a nightmare. hope you enjoyed this and ’til next time! xo


	9. The One With A Friday Night Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emily returns and calls for a classic Friday night dinner, but the evening doesn't go as planned. Rory opens up to Jess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello everyone!!! hope you're all doing well and ready for another update!  
i am pretty happy with this chapter, so i am excited to hear what you all think in the comments!  
i apologize in advance for any mistakes -- my reviewing wasn't that thorough this time hehe  
happy reading <3 (oh, and btw, i picture victoria as alexandra breckenridge if you don't have a picture in your head for her yet)

_ ‘Veronica, you look like hell.’ _

_ ‘Yeah. I just got back.’ _

“Still one of the best movies of all time” Rory says and Jess nods in agreement as he takes another handful of popcorn into his mouth. 

“Guys!” Lorelai whines as she walks into the living room. “I don’t believe this. You let Richie watch _ Heathers _?”

Her daughter shrugs. “Come on, he isn’t even paying attention!” Rory says, gesturing at her son, who’s playing with his train set on the coffee table.

“Also, didn’t you let Rory watch _ The Shining _when she was five?” Jess asks, his lips quirking up into a teasing smirk. 

“He’s right, you know” Rory agrees. 

“Fine. Expose your two-year-old to the horrors of teenage suicide and Christian Slater’s hideous dangly earring” Lorelai concedes, raising her hands in mock-surrender. “He will resent you for it – and that’ll be _ your _The Shining.” 

“Hey Luke, what the worse movie for a child to watch, _ The Shining _ or _ Heathers _?” Rory asks as Luke enters the house, carrying a paper bag from Doose’s. 

“Whatever this is, I’m not getting involved” He grumbles, then goes into the kitchen. 

Lorelai, Rory and Jess can’t help but laugh.

“Guess Lane and Zach will be the tie-breakers” The older Gilmore girl shrugs simply, “What time are they getting here again?”

“Eight” Rory replies, with her mouth still half full.

“Hey, give me that” Her mother says, taking the bowl of popcorn from Jess’ hands. “Who wants to see Luke have an aneurysm?” She asks, with an impish smile on her face. 

Jess and Rory both quirk up at that. Lorelai then goes over to the kitchen, and it’s not long till they hear Luke protesting from the living room. “Lorelai! I’m making dinner, why are you eating popcorn?” 

“Every time” Rory shakes her head in amusement, and Jess chuckles. 

"Hey, do you want to make this interesting?” He asks, and she raises an eyebrow in response. 

“How, exactly?”

“I bet you five bucks that the vein on Luke’s forehead is about to pop right now.” 

Rory grins. “You’re on.” 

** 

“Luke, this is delicious” Lane says, taking another forkful of lasagna into her mouth. “We’ve spent the past month living off vending machine snacks and takeout, so it’s about time we ate some homemade food. That doesn’t involve tofu.” 

“Thanks, Lane. At least _ someone _ appreciates it.” Luke retorts pointedly, looking over at Lorelai. She sticks her tongue out at him in turn. 

“That’s just life on the road for ya” Lorelai half-jests. “So, tell us, how was the tour? Spare no detail.” 

“Yeah, we want to hear all about it!” Rory agrees. 

“It was amazing” Her friend replies, her eyes gleaming with excitement. “We got to play clubs and bars all over the East Coast, including this _ great _ place in Philly—” 

Lane then turns to Jess. “Jess, you probably know it. Herman’s? It’s around the college district.” 

“Oh, yeah” He nods. “I’ve been there quite a few times. It really is a cool place.” 

“I know! And the owner was so nice. Wasn’t he, Zach?” She nudges her husband on the arm to get his attention away from his plate. 

“Mm-hm” Zach hums in response before he swallows. “That guy Herman…” He chuckles to himself. “What a guy.” 

“I saw that you played CBGB’s again, too” Rory says. “You guys looked _ so _ cool. Wish I got to go to one of the shows, though.” 

“Well, there’s always next time.” Lane tells her. 

“Next time?” Lorelai checks. 

“Yeah, I mean, I think it would be good if we went on the road from time to time. I’d hate to settle for only playing the Secret Bar once a week.” 

“God, the Secret Bar” Jess shakes his head. “I can’t believe that is still a thing.” 

“As long as Taylor is town selectman, I guess it’ll have to be” Rory points out and the others agree. 

Suddenly, Jess’ phone begins to buzz in his pocket. He takes it out and Rory inadvertently sees Victoria’s name on the screen. “Sorry, I gotta take this” He excuses himself from the table and goes out to the porch. 

“It’s his girlfriend” Rory clarifies, and Lane raises her eyebrows, seeming surprised. 

“Girlfriend?” 

“Yeah” She says simply, “Her name is Victoria. She’s his editor. Really nice, too.” 

“She hot?” Zach asks, with his mouth full. 

Lane smacks his arm. “Zach!” 

“Sorry, babe.” 

“But… is she?” 

“She’s very pretty, yes” Rory replies, then pulls her phone out of her back pocket. She searches for Victoria’s profile on Instagram, then shows a picture of her to Lane and Zach. 

Zach opens his mouth to say something, but Lane shoots him a warning glare before he can, and he quickly turns his attention back to the lasagna. 

“She _ is _ pretty” Lane agrees, taking Rory’s phone into her hands so she can scroll through Victoria’s Instagram page. “Doesn’t seem like his type, though.” 

Rory frowns at that. “I don’t think Jess _ has _ a type.” 

“Of course he does” Lorelai weighs in, “Brown hair, blue eyes…” She teases, looking over at her daughter, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. 

“Aw, jeez!” 

Lane bites back a laugh, but decides not to encourage Lorelai, for her best friend’s sake. “Okay, okay, forget I said anything” She gives Rory her phone back. “I am sure Victoria is very nice.” 

“She _ is _ very nice” Rory says, “She’s also smart and funny, pretty…” 

“Honey, are you sure _ you _ don’t wanna date her?” Lorelai mocks, and her daughter glares at her. 

“Well, it’s true!” She insists, crossing her arms.

“How about we change the subject?” Luke suggests in an appeasing manner, “I doubt Jess would like to hear the three of you discussing the girl he’s dating.” 

“I couldn’t agree more” Rory says. 

Lorelai gives them both a thumbs down and blows raspberry at them. “You two are no fun.” 

“So, what did I miss?” Jess asks as he walks back into the kitchen. 

“Nothing” Rory replies, almost too quickly, and he eyes her warily. She lets out a weak laugh. “Absolutely nothing.” 

“Uh-huh” He nods slowly, with a skeptical look on his face and Rory gives him a tight smile in response.

“Hey, who wants more wine?” Lorelai asks as she reaches for the bottle, and everyone but Luke (who opted for beer instead) says yes. “Ah, a consensus. A rarity in this house.” 

“Wait, we almost forgot!” Rory exclaims, taking a swig of her drink. “The _ Heathers _ and _ The Shining _ debacle!” 

“Ooh, right!” Her mother claps her hands excitedly. “Lane, Zach, help us solve this – since _ Luke _ was of no help whatsoever” 

Luke rolls his eyes at her, and she just laughs, rubbing his arm gently. “Anyway, let’s settle this one once and for all. What’s worse, a five year old watching _ The Shining _ or a two-year-old watching _ Heathers _?” 

“Keep in mind that the two-year-old wasn’t even actively watching” Rory notes, “He simply happened to be in the room when other people were watching the movie.” 

“Five-year-old watching _ The Shining _, definitely” Lane replies, and Rory high-fives her. 

Lorelai half-gasps to make her disappointment known. Lane just shrugs. “What about you, Zach?” 

“I guarantee _ nothing _ is worse than _ The Shining _” Zach shudders, “I didn’t sleep for a week after watching that movie.”

“Ha!” 

“Whatever” Lorelai mutters, narrowing her eyes at her daughter. Then, the home phone begins to ring in the living room. 

“Ugh, why do we have a home phone again?” She groans before getting up to get it. “Hello?” Lorelai answers, putting the phone to her ear. 

“Lorelai, hi” She immediately recognizes her assistant manager Kate’s voice. “I’m sorry to be calling you at this hour but we have a… _ situation _.” Kate says that last part in a whisper. 

Lorelai frowns. “What kind of situation? Is everything okay?” 

“Everything’s fine but… I have someone here who claims to be your mother, and she’s looking for you.” 

“My mother?” She checks, completely baffled. “That’s impossible. My mother is in Switzerland or… something.” 

“Um– wait, she wants to talk to you” Kate says, “Here you go, Mrs. Gilmore.” 

“Lorelai?” Emily calls, and Lorelai can already feel a headache coming her way. She tries to get past the shock and the horror, pulling herself together so she can talk to her mother. 

“Mom?” She tries, “What– were we expecting you?” 

“No, no, I just wanted to stop by and visit as a surprise” Her mother explains, and Lorelai lets out a nervous chuckle. 

“It _ is _ quite the surprise, you got that one right” Lorelai says, “But what’s going on over there? Kate said you wanted to talk to me."

“Yes, I just wanted to know if it would be better if I booked a room at the Inn or if I stayed at your house for the night, and tomorrow night as well.” 

“Why didn’t you call me, then?” 

Emily huffs. “Is that really important?” 

“No, I’m sorry. So you want to stay… here?” 

“I am simply asking what arrangement would be best for _ you _, Lorelai. That’s all.” 

“Well, I think we’re a little crammed here, with Rory and Richie staying in her old room, so I think maybe you’d be a lot more comfortable at the Inn” Lorelai says, unsure if that’s what Emily wanted to hear or not. She never knows with that woman. 

“Okay, then” Emily replies, “I’ll get a room and tomorrow night, we should all get dinner together. Friday night dinner, for old times sake.” 

“And by ‘we all’ you mean you, me and Rory?” 

“And Luke, of course. Is there anyone else you or Rory would like to invite?” 

“Um, Luke’s nephew Jess just moved back here, so maybe we could invite him, too.” 

“Of course.” 

“Really?” Lorelai checks. 

“I don’t see why not” She can picture Emily shrugging as she says that. “He is a nice young man, now that he’s past that ridiculous Holden Caulfield wannabe phase. It’d be nice if he joined us.” 

_ “Wow” _Lorelai mouths to herself. “Okay, that sounds good” She says. 

“It does” Her mother agrees. “Now, do you think we could get together sometime tomorrow, before dinner? So I can see my great-grandson and we can… catch up.” 

“Sure thing” Lorelai nods. “I’ll take Richie with me when I go into work tomorrow, and the three of us can eat brunch together. How’s that sound?” 

“Perfect. But what about Rory?” 

“Rory has to work, Mom.” 

“Ah, yes. I forgot” Emily says, “I guess I’ll see her at dinner.” 

“You definitely will.” 

“Alright. I’ll let you go now. Goodnight, Lorelai.” 

“Goodnight Mom, I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye.” 

She puts the phone back on its nook, then returns to the kitchen. “Mom? Who was it?” Rory asks, a little concerned by just how pale her mother suddenly looks. 

“It was your grandmother” Lorelai responds, pressing her lips together. “She’s at the Inn.” 

Rory nearly chokes on her drink. “Grandma’s here? In Stars Hollow?” 

“Yep. And we’re all having dinner at the Dragonfly tomorrow. Fun, right?” 

“Are we included in that?” Lane asks, gesturing between her and her husband, a little confused. 

“No, no” Lorelai clarifies, “It’ll just be me, Rory, Luke and… Jess.” 

Jess’ eyes widen at the mention of his name. “Excuse me?” 

“I mean… you _ are _ family.” 

“How did you get Jess roped into this?” Luke questions, furrowing his eyebrows. His wife grimaces. 

“It kinda… slipped, that he’s living here now.” 

“It _ slipped _?” 

“Yes!” Lorelai insists. “Look, it’ll be fine. It’s just dinner.” 

“Well, I don’t exactly have the best track record with Friday night dinners” Jess grumbles, picking on what’s left of his lasagna with a fork. 

“Or swans” Luke snorts, and Jess glares at him. 

“What?” Rory and Lorelai say in unison. Lane and Zach share a confused look. 

Jess lets out an exasperated huff. “Can we get back to the real issue at hand here?” 

“Let’s be positive, people” Lorelai tells them. “Mom seemed to be in a good mood, so hopefully that’ll last till tomorrow night. And if it doesn’t, we resort to plan B.” 

“Which is?” 

A slightly wicked smile appears on Lorelai’s face. “We get her drunk.” 

**

The next day, Jess continues to work on his book – or tries to, at least. He’s found his main characters, outlined the first ten chapters, but still, he’s _ stuck _. 

Jess closes his laptop with a frustrated huff, and changes into his workout clothes. Maybe a run will help him clear his mind. 

He goes downstairs and bids Caesar and his uncle goodbye before he quickly heads out the door. 

Jess never thought he would be the kind of person who runs. The whole thing seemed completely ridiculous to him, until he decided to give it a try.

It started a little bit after he and Victoria began dating. She runs religiously, every single day, and continuously nagged him to go on a run with her, until he finally gave in and decided to give it a chance. 

And, surprisingly, it wasn’t that bad. He wasn’t exactly out of shape, but it took him some time to be up to Victoria’s speed. 

After a while, whenever she was in Philly or he was in New York, they went on morning runs together everyday — except for when they were too tired or hungover to go out —, and that became kind of their “thing”. 

Thinking back to that time, a year or two ago, makes him think about how _ different _ things feel now. 

Before, he was able to talk to Victoria about anything and they could stay on the phone for hours on end without even noticing the time pass, but now their conversations consist of small talk (_ How’s work? Oh, fine. How are things in Stars Hollow? _) and the book. 

Things have felt off ever since her last visit. She left the next day, and they’ve talked on the phone sporadically since then, but it’s not the same. 

And as much as he hates to admit it, Jess doesn’t think he misses her as much as he used to anymore. 

He still cares about her, deeply, and they do work well together. They think alike, and there’s chemistry, but what if that isn’t enough? 

_ Has it ever been enough? _

Jess stops running, and sits down under a tree. He puts an arm around his stomach, and pants. 

He takes out his phone and dials Victoria’s number. It rings twice before she picks up. “Hello?” 

“Hey. Did I wake you? I know it’s early.” 

“No, I’m already at work, looking through the world’s worst manuscript” She grumbles, “So you actually saved me from reading more of…” Victoria begins to recite a passage from the script flatly, “_ The sinewy length of him pressed into her warm dark haven, in a frenzy of spontaneous explosions.” _

Jess can’t help but laugh. “Jesus.” 

“And I’m not even halfway through it!” Victoria says, “I’m sure it only gets worse from here.” 

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, I already have the five first chapters of my book ready. I could email them to you, if you want.” 

“You would do that?” She checks, a mix of relief and excitement in her voice. “You, sir, are my hero. I am _ starved _ for some decent writing. I swear, if I have to read another sentence that contains the words _ engorged _ or _ pulsating _ , I’m jumping off my office window. And we’re on the _ twelfth _ floor.” 

“I’ll send it as soon as I’m back from my run” He says, the hint of a smirk on his face. 

“Thanks, Jess. I really appreciate it. And not because I need a break from these god-awful romance novels, but because I think you have a good thing here. A _ great _ thing.” 

“Read it first, okay? You can give me your brutally honest review later. I promise I can take it.”

“You know, you should really add ‘Have some self-esteem’ to your New Year’s resolution. I _ know _ it’s good, Jess. You should know it too.” 

He smiles. “Thanks. I hope so.” 

“I _ know _ so” Victoria assures him. “Crap, I have to go. Meeting in the conference room. I’ll talk to you later.” 

“Later, I—” Jess tries to say, but Victoria ends the call before he has a chance to. 

Jess puts his phone back in his pocket and decides to cut his run short, heading back to the diner. 

When he pushes through the front door, he sees Rory perched on one of the stools, digging through a stack of chocolate chip pancakes. He walks over to where she’s seated, and taps her on the back, making her yelp. 

“Jess!” She protests, her eyes widened. “I could’ve choked!” Rory then gestures vaguely at her plate with her fork. 

“Sorry” He raises his hands in mock-surrender, resting his arms on the counter next to her. “Hey, is there any way you could get me out of dinner with your grandmother tonight?” 

“Are you suffering from any life-threatening infectious diseases?” 

“Not that I know of.” 

Rory takes another bite of her pancakes. “Then, no.” 

He rolls his eyes at her. “You are of absolutely no help, Gilmore.”

“Sorry, you’re just gonna have to deal with it” She shrugs, then puts her cutlery down, shooting him a serious look. “What do you think of my hair?” 

“Your hair?” Jess frowns, confused. 

“Yeah, I’m thinking of getting a trim this afternoon, but I don’t know if I should.” 

“Huh.” 

“So?” 

“Don’t cut it” He tells her as he brushes he hair over her shoulder, “I like it like this.” 

The hint of a blush appears on Rory’s face. “Thank you.” 

“Okay. So I’ll see you tonight?” Jess asks, heading to the stairs. 

Rory shrugs, the smiles. “That’s the plan.” 

**

Rory is the first one to arrive at the Inn. Well, technically the second, considering her grandmother is staying there. 

She came over straight from work, but changed clothes in the car, to avoid any criticism on Emily’s part. Rory picked out a black dress with ¾ sleeves and heels of the same color, and after a quick look at the mirror in the reception, she thinks she looks presentable enough. 

“Oh, Rory, there you are!” Her grandmother coos before wrapping Rory into a tight hug. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever!” 

“It _ has _ been a long time, Grandma” Rory agrees, with a warm smile. “How are you? Last time I checked, you were in Helsinki!” 

“Yes, yes, but I decided to take a break from Europe” Emily waves a hand dismissively, “I also thought it was time for me to see my great-grandson, and you girls, of course.” 

“Well, we’ve missed you” Rory says, even that is only half-true. “Mom said that you two and Richie had brunch together today?” 

“We did, and it was lovely. That boy is so big already...” Emily sighs wistfully, “He reminds me of your grandfather, you know? Maybe Berta’s theory was right...” 

“I’ll let you know when he starts reading the paper and drinking brandy in the afternoon” Rory jokes, and her grandmother chuckles. When was the last time Rory heard Emily Gilmore _ chuckle _?

“Hey guys, sorry we’re late” Lorelai apologizes as she enters the Inn, shrugging off her coat. “We have to drop Richie off at Lane’s before we came and Luke took his sweet time getting ready.” 

Luke and Jess are right behind her, both wearing slacks and button-up shirts. Luke even sprung for a _ tie _. “Hello, Emily” He clears his throat before going in for an awkward hug. 

The matriarch smiles, “Hello, Luke. You look well.” She then turns her attention to Jess. 

“Danger, danger, danger” Lorelai warns him in a half-whisper. 

“Jess, good to see you” Emily says, then shakes his hand. “I’m dying to hear all about this book you’re writing.” 

“Good to see you, too, ma’am” He replies with a slight smile. 

“Let’s eat, shall we?” Lorelai says, then leads the way into the dining room. 

The main course is pot-roast, with fondant potatoes on the side. Rory and Lorelai order gin and tonics, and Emily opts for a cosmo. Her mother’s drink of choice makes Lorelai turn to Rory with a look that says: _ Who is she? Carrie Bradshaw? _

Luke isn’t drinking, so he has an iced tea and Jess orders a scotch on the rocks, something that can’t help but remind Emily and the girls of Richard. 

The evening is off to a good start — they talk about the Inn’s expansion, Rory’s new job as a teacher and even discuss the Emmy’s, hosted on the previous Sunday. Jess’ book is brought up, but Emily doesn’t push for details when he says there’s not much to be said about it yet. 

A second and third round of drinks are ordered, and Luke carries the burden of being the only fully sober one on the table. Jess holds his liquor quite well, so he can still sympathize when his uncle shoots an exasperated look his way once or twice. 

“So, Rory” Emily calls suddenly, still giggling at something Jess said -- that, by the way, wasn't even that funny. "Did you hear?"

“Did I hear what, Grandma?” Rory asks, furrowing her brows. 

“That Logan and that french heiress…” Emily leans in conspiringly, then mimics slicing her throat, “_ Over _. The divorce was finalized this week.” 

Rory goes silent and stares blankly at her plate. She then glances over at Jess with a panicked look on her face. He can’t say anything, but he squeezes her hand under the table, as to say ‘_ You got this.’, _which Rory appreciates. 

“Um, yeah. Logan told me.” She replies with a slight nod, pressing her lips together. 

“He did?” Emily checks. “Perfect.” 

Lorelai has to inhale and exhale and count to ten before asking: “And why exactly is this perfect, mother?” 

“Don’t you see? He ended his commitment to that bird-looking woman, and now he and Rory can finally—” 

“Listen, Mom, please let’s not let history repeat itself, okay?” Lorelai cuts in, “Rory is very happy. She has a job, a great support system, and as far as I’m concerned she _ doesn’t _ want to be with Logan. That’s it, end of story.” 

“Excuse me, Lorelai, but I think the only input I would like to hear is my granddaughter’s, unless you’ve suddenly decided to become her spokesperson.” 

“She’s right” Rory rises to her feet, because drinking gives her bit of a flair for the dramatic. “I don’t want to be with Logan. That’s why I said no to his proposal three years ago and also why I said no when he came back this week—” 

Lorelai frowns. “Wait, when did he come back this week? You met with him?” 

“Yes. I invited him over to the house to talk because he seemed upset about his divorce, but that was it.”

“And where was I then?” 

“In bed” Rory responds, crossing her arms. 

“Then what happened?” Her mother asks, “Did you two…?” 

“No! God, no” Rory says, running a nervous hand through her hair. “He kissed me, and told me that we should be together for Richie’s sake, but I turned him down. That’s it.” 

Lorelai is too taken aback to say anything, so she just sinks into her chair and downs the rest of her drink. 

“You are making a mistake, the same one you did three years ago” Emily tells her granddaughter solemnly. “You could be living a lovely life now and that boy could have a mother _ and _ a father. Call me old-fashioned, and I’m sorry, but that’s just the way it’s supposed to be.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake” Rory groans, shaking her head. Her grandmother’s eyes widen at her cursing. “I am _ not _ making a mistake. The only mistake I made was getting involved with my _ engaged _ , _ college _ ex-boyfriend. The difference is, from that mistake, I got the best thing in my life. And he is enough for me, like I am for him, whether you like it or not.” 

Rory drops her napkin on the table and storms out of the dining room. Lorelai and Jess share a look, and she nods when gestures over to the door, letting her know he’ll go check on Rory. 

“Uh… thanks for dinner” He says a bit awkwardly, before bowing out of the room. 

“_ Mother, you are unbelievable! _” Jess hears Lorelai yell from afar, and quickens his pace before things get any more ugly. 

Jess grabs his coat from the rack, and goes outside. He finds Rory leaning up against her car, her arms folded over her chest. It’s hard to read her expression. It’s a mix between anger and hurt — which is probably exactly how she’s feeling now. 

“Hey” He approaches, as casually as he can. 

“Hi” She mumbles, not quite looking him in the eye. 

“You wanna get out of here?” Jess offers, raising an eyebrow. Rory looks up at him with a frown. 

“What?” 

“Let’s go somewhere. Somewhere that’s… not here.” 

Rory purses her lips together, considering his offer. “We’ve had a lot to drink. We can’t drive anywhere.” She points out. 

“We can walk.” 

“I’m in _ heels _.”

“I’ll carry you” He says, and Rory can’t tell if he’s being serious or not. 

“Wait, I think I have a pair of flats in my car” She tells him, then fishes her car keys out of her purse. 

After looking through the mess that is the backseat of her car, Rory finds a pair of black ballerina flats, that, coincidentally, match her outfit. She throws the pumps on the passenger seat, and hops off the car, closing the door behind her. 

“So where are we going?” Rory asks. 

Jess smirks. “You’ll see.” 

** 

“Okay, so we have bought a case of Peach Schnapps, a plaid tablecloth and the biggest bag of Goldfish I have ever seen” Rory says, going through the items in the paper bag from Doose’s. “Where to, now?” 

“Now, we are having a picnic” Jess replies simply, and just continues walking. 

“A picnic?” She checks as she catches up to him. “We _ just _ ate.” 

“And when has that ever been a problem for you?” He asks, quirking up a brow at her. 

“Fair enough.” 

They pass the high school, and then enter the rocky pathway to Larson’s Dock, Jess’ favorite place in all of Stars Hollow. 

He takes the bag from Rory’s hand and walks over to the bridge. Jess extends the tablecloth on the dock and sits down, legs dangling over the quiet water. 

Rory takes a seat next to him, and hands him the bottle of Peach Schnapps. She reaches for the oversized bag of Goldfish, and puts a handful into her mouth haphazardly, dropping a couple on the lake. “Look, they’re _ swimming _” Rory laughs a tad too hard at that. 

Jess chuckles a little too, taking a swig from the bottle, that barely tastes like alcohol. “This is so sixth grade” He snorts as he hands it over to Rory. 

Much to his surprise, she chugs it, then puts it down, nearly knocking it into the water. “It tastes like peaches” She giggles, then her expression suddenly darkens as she rests her head on his shoulder. “Hey, do you think my grandmother hates me? Because I’m unmarried and directionless?” 

“Nah, I don’t think she could ever hate you” Jess tells her. “Plus, you may be unmarried, but you’re not directionless. You’re doing the teaching thing, and killing it. That’s the opposite of directionless.” 

“Yeah, but that was supposed to be temporary” She mumbles into his shoulder. “What if I don’t want to be a teacher? What if I’m just… settling?” 

“Then go back to journalism” Jess says simply, “You can do anything you set out to, Rory. If you don’t want to teach, that’s fine. If you don’t want to be a journalist… that’s fine too. Hey, if you want to quit both and become one of the girls on _ The Price Is Right _, I think you could hack it.” 

She laughs so hard her stomach hurts, and the Schnapps almost comes out of her nose. “Oh my god.” 

“Oh, and if that doesn’t work, you could get a job at Chili’s. Come on, repeat after me: ‘Welcome to Chili’s.” 

She inhales deeply, then a smile appears on her face. “Welcome to Chili’s” Rory says flatly, and Jess chuckles. 

“See? Perfect.” 

They fall into a comfortable silence for a moment, digging into the bag of Goldfish and sharing the bottle, until it’s empty. “It’s late, I think we should go” Jess says, getting up. He extends a hand to Rory and gently pulls her up, putting an arm around her when she stumbles back. 

He folds the tablecloth and puts it under his arm. Rory finishes eating the bag of Goldfish, then dumps it and the bottle of Peach Schnapps in a trashcan nearby. 

Rory wraps her arms around one of Jess’, and sighs. “I’m so tired” She mumbles quietly, “I just wish…” 

“What?”

“I just wish I could rewind the clock, you know? Go back to when I was sixteen and knew what I wanted” She tells him. “God, I was going to be _ Christiane Amanpour _ . Overseas correspondent. And even if I didn’t get to do that, I just wanted to see… something. But instead, I’m right back where I began. Living with my mother, being back at Chilton… And sometimes, it… it gets hard to _ breathe _.” 

Jess doesn’t know what to say, so he just hugs her instead, tightly, and he can hear Rory sobbing quietly into his shoulder. “It’s okay” He whispers, running a hand over her hair. 

“I’m sorry” Rory sniffles as they pull away. “I’m a mess. And I know that shouldn’t just spring all of this on you, but you’re… You’re the only person I can talk to about… about anything.”

“You know I’m here for you, Ror. Always.” 

“I know” She nods, with a sad, slight smile on her face. “It’s that— I put on a brave face every single day, but it’s hard. It’s _ so _ hard! I feel like I’m failing at everything, and then my grandmother— God! What she said, it’s just a reminder of that.” 

“I had no idea you were feeling like this” Jess says, trying to get her to look him in the eye again. 

“Well, yeah.” She muses.

“You need a thing” He tells her, and Rory furrows her brows at him, confused. “Something to do for when it all gets a little too much. It can be anything.” 

“Does screaming into a pillow count?” 

Jess tries not to laugh at that. “That could work, but I was thinking about something more along the lines of running, or just going on a walk, or even writing.” 

“Jess, I am the least athletic person on the planet. How do you expect me to go on runs or walks? I would pass out before the first mile.” 

He suddenly remembers what Victoria told him before they started running together. “Don’t knock it ‘til you try it.” 

“I don’t know, Jess” Rory shrugs. “I might do something else. Maybe throw flaming darts at a picture of Logan. Then one of myself. And maybe one of Grandma.” 

Jess chuckles softly. “Sounds like a plan.” 

They make their way back through town, not really talking about anything, till they finally arrive at Luke’s. Jess’ hand lingers on the knob, and he turns to Rory. “Hey” Jess calls, “You’re not, you know?” 

She frowns at him. “Not what?” 

“Failing.” He shrugs, “You’re doing good, Rory. No need to be so hard on yourself.” 

She beams. “Thank you, Jess.” 

“No problem.” 

“Well, goodnight” Rory says, and leans in to plant a kiss on his cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

“I’ll see you” He smiles, and watches as she walks away. 

**

It’s early on Saturday morning, and Rory is still half-asleep in bed. She can hear the sound of one of Richie’s cartoons coming from the living room, and the more she listens to it, the more annoying those little high pitched voices sound. 

Rory tries to kick her bedroom door closed, but can’t quite reach it, so she just puts her pillow over her head in order to block out the noise. 

Surprisingly, it works, and she manages to drift back into sleep for a while. 

That is, until she feels someone _ tugging _ on her foot. Rory pulls her pillow away, and groans at the sight of Jess. “What are you doing here?” 

“Come on, Gilmore. We’re going on a run.” 

She forces out a laugh. “Good one, Jess.”

“I’m serious!” He insists, “You’re coming, even if I have to drag you out of bed myself.” 

“You’re insane” She tells him, then pulls her covers over her head, “I’m going back to sleep!” 

“Okay, you give me no choice, then” He climbs onto the bed, and pushes the covers away before mercilessly tickling her. 

“Jess!” She chuckles, trying to get him off of her, “Jess– Ah! Don’t!” 

Lorelai goes down the stairs and hears the weird noises coming from her daughter’s bedroom, so she slowly approaches the room, hoping to God no one’s indecent. “Um, what’s going on here?” 

Jess immediately climbs off the bed at the sound of Lorelai’s voice, and Rory sits up straight, running a hand over her hair. “Jess was trying to _ force _ me to go on a run with him.” She explains, a little flushed.

Lorelai snorts, turning to him. “You’ve _ met _ her, right?” 

“Exactly!” Her daughter agrees.

“Look at this as a trial run. We do it once and if you don’t like it, I’ll never bring it up again. Deal?”

Lorelai snickers at that. “Sorry, can I just say… _ dirty _.” 

“That’s not—” Jess begins to say, then he realizes he could definitely have worded that better. “Okay, I hear it now.” 

“_ Fine” _Rory concedes, getting up. “Just let me get dressed. And have some coffee ready for when I get out.” 

“As you wish” He says with a smirk before leaving the room, closing the door behind him. 

Rory doesn’t even know if she _ has _ any workout clothes. She looks through the bottom drawer of her dresser and finds a pair of black leggings, an old Fleetwood Mac t-shirt and a gray zip-up hoodie. 

She gets dressed and then brushes her hair, tying it into a high ponytail. 

Rory leaves her room and goes into the bathroom to wash her face, before heading back to the kitchen, where a mug of hot coffee awaits her on the table. She sits down and takes a sip, allowing the caffeine to fully wake her up. 

Her eyes meet Jess’ and she notices he’s staring. “What?” 

“Nothing.” 

She finishes her coffee and gets out of the chair, clasping her hands together. “Let’s do this, then” Rory says, “Before I change my mind.” 

“That’s the spirit!” Jess replies with mock-enthusiasm. 

He hands her a water bottle as they’re leaving, and Rory scowls at her mother as she sees just amused by the whole thing she is. “Bye guys!” Lorelai calls after them, “Have fun!” 

**

Running is not so bad, Rory decides after some time. Sure, at first you may feel like you’re about to puke or pass out — whatever comes first — but if you concentrate on the music you’re listening to and your surroundings, the running part sort of fades into the background. 

She knows Jess is holding back so she doesn’t have to try to catch up with him, which is nice of him. 

They’re almost done with circling the square, when Rory’s phone begins to ring. She takes it out of her pocket, and as she sees Logan’s name on the screen, she stops cold in her tracks. 

Jess keeps going for a second, but quickly gets back when he sees Rory’s stopped. “Something wrong?” He asks as he takes out his earbuds. 

“It’s Logan” She sighs, showing him her phone screen. “I should get it”. 

“Okay.” 

“Hello?” Rory answers. 

“Rory, hi. Sorry to be calling so early, but this couldn’t wait.” Logan tells her. 

“What’s going on, Logan?” 

“I found this great custody counselor in Hartford, and I can get us an appointment whenever” He says, “It’s just a meeting, so no need to get lawyers involved, and I think it’d help us to sort things out.” 

Rory goes silent for a moment, then huffs. “Okay, that’s good. Pick a date, let me know, and if it works for both of us, make an appointment.” 

“I will.” 

“Great, thanks.” 

“Um, okay then. I’ll see you soon.”

“Bye, Logan.” 

She ends the call and puts her phone back into her pocket. “Apparently, he wants us to see a custody counselor soon. To discuss… everything.” 

“Is that a good or a bad thing?” 

Rory exhales deeply. “I have no idea.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading!! the next chapter will revolve around rory's 35th birthday, so it should be a really fun one! i'm excited to write it and post it as soon as possible. it's probably one of my favorite chapter ideas, so you have that to look forward to! thanks for all the kudos and comments, they meant the world. till next time! x


	10. The One Where Rory Turns 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On Rory's 35th birthday, Jess takes her to New York to celebrate the big day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all!! hope you're all good and hydrated.  
this chapter is a personal favorite of mine, so i really hope you enjoy it. it's kind of long, but i promise it's also a lot of fun!!  
please let me know what you think in the comments, and again, thank you so much for your kudos and reviews, they mean the world.  
happy reading!

Jess pulls out a chair and sits down across from Rory at the kitchen table. She slowly closes her laptop and eyes him warily. “What?” 

“Your birthday is coming up” He says, and Rory _ really _ doesn’t like how he looks like he’s up to something. The slight smirk, the raised eyebrows… That usually adds up to trouble. 

“I know that” She tells him and goes over to the fridge to get herself a bottle of water. 

“So? How are we celebrating the big three point five?”

“We’re not” Rory replies, sitting back down on her chair. “Why do you care, anyway? I distinctly remember you saying that celebrating birthdays as an adult is pointless, because it only means we’re one year closer to death.” 

Jess gasps dramatically, feigning innocence. “I never said that.” 

“I know you have something up your sleeve, Mariano” Rory says, narrowing her eyes at him. “So just tell me, already.”

“Okay, if you insist” He gives in, putting his hands up in mock-surrender. “Jenna, Chris’ wife, is playing a show in New York on the night of your birthday, so I thought it would be fun if we all went and then maybe hit a bar afterwards.” 

“We all as in…?” 

“You, me, Victoria, Chris, Jenna, Matthew and his boyfriend, Benjamin. And whoever you want to invite, birthday girl.” 

“Wait, Matthew has a boyfriend?” Rory asks, only a little surprised. “I had no idea he was gay, and I’m usually pretty good at noticing this kind of stuff.” 

“Well, actually, he’s bi” Jess clarifies. “Plus, I’m only telling you this now so you don’t look too shocked when you meet Benjamin and seem like a raging homophobe.” 

“I appreciate the head’s up” She half-chuckles. “But I don’t know, Jess. My birthday is on a weekday, which means I have work and I really just wanted to have a chill evening in. Maybe order some pizza and cake from Weston’s…” 

“God, you sound like a 70-year-old” Jess rolls his eyes at her. “Do you really want to spend your birthday eating pizza and cake in your room?” 

“You’re one to talk” She retorts, making a face. “On _ your _ birthday, your friends bought you a _ cupcake _ and you spent the entire night drinking cheap beer and doing a James Bond movie marathon.” 

“Ah, but you forget. _ I _ don’t like my birthday.” He tells her, gesturing between them, “You, on the other hand, _ love _ yours. So I don’t want to hear any excuses here.” 

Rory lets out a deep sigh. “Okay” She concedes, biting back a smile. “I’ll go. But I’m inviting Lane and Paris too. I don’t to feel like the only intruder in your group of friends.” 

“Come on, everyone likes you!” Jess insists. “You made quite an impression when you came down to Philly for the reopening. I promise you won’t feel left out.” 

“In that case… I guess there is really no harm in going. Still going to try and invite Paris and Lane, though” Rory says, and Jess smiles. “But what do I do about work? I mean I can’t _ not _ go.”

“You only have classes in the morning, right?” He checks, and Rory nods. “So I’ll meet you at the train station in Hartford after you’re done with classes, we’ll head to New York and get back the next day. Of course, you might have to call in sick, because chances are you _ will _ be hungover.”

“I can’t call in sick” She whines, taking a sip of her water. “I am a _ terrible _ liar. They would see right through me.”

“I’ll write you a doctors note.” 

“Jess…” 

“Loosen up, Rory. You only turn thirty-five once.” 

“You’ve really thought this through, haven’t you?” Rory asks, quirking up a brow at him. 

Jess gives her a lopsided smirk. “What am I if not thorough?” 

** 

“It’s a no on both fronts” Rory sighs as she sits down at one of the stools. “Paris has a gala to attend and Lane has to go to one of her cousin’s wedding.”

“Listen, it’ll be fine” Jess tells her, and slides her a cup filled with fresh coffee over the counter. “As I said, everyone likes you, and I’ll be there, so you’ll still have a familiar face around.” 

“I guess so.” She shrugs half-heartedly as she takes a sip of her coffee. “I’m just a little nervous. I think your friends are great, but I’m not sure they like me very much.” 

“What makes you think that?”

“Does the Truncheon 2006 open house ring a bell?” Rory asks, making a face. 

“That was thirteen years ago, Rory” He says, “Sure, it may not have been one of your finest moments and not a completely pleasant memory, but it’s in the past. Don’t worry about it.” 

A slight smile appears on her face. “You’re kind. Thank you.” 

“Shh, don’t spread that around” Jess half-whispers, leaning closer on the island, “It’ll ruin my street cred.” 

Rory chuckles softly. “Your secret is safe with me.” 

**

It’s 4:03 AM on October 8th, which means it is officially Rory Gilmore’s thirty-fifth birthday. 

Like clockwork, Lorelai quietly climbs onto her daughter’s bed like she has for the past thirty-five years, and wakes her up by planting a kiss on her forehead. 

Rory stirs sleepily and turns to her mother, opening her eyes slightly. “Happy birthday, my girl” Lorelai whispers, wrapping an arm around her. 

“Aren’t I a little too old for this?” Rory mumbles, and her mother shushes her.

“Shh! It’s tradition” Lorelai tells her. “Now, it is hard to believe that at this time, many moons ago — thirty-five to be exact —, I was lying in this same position…”

“Oh, boy...” 

**

When gets to the platform, Jess is already there waiting for her. 

He flashes her one of his rare smiles as he sees her, and wraps her into a warm hug when she walks up to him. “Happy birthday” Jess says as they pull away. 

“Thanks” Rory grins, putting a strand of loose hair behind her ear. “You know, I am actually kind of excited about tonight. It should be fun.” 

“It will be.” He assures her. “There is never a dull moment with those guys.”

“Well, color me curious.” She quirks up a brow at him. “I do hope I get to see Chris and Matthew doing karaoke.” 

“Trust me, you don’t” Jess snorts. “I think it’s best we leave the singing to the professionals.” 

“Speaking of which, what is Jenna’s band like?” 

“They’re mostly a cover band” He explains, “But they also do original songs, and those are pretty good too. I think you’ll like them.” 

“Looking forward to seeing them play” Rory says with a smile. 

Then, their train finally arrives. They get in and Jess offers to carry Rory’s overnight bag for her. The carriage is fairly empty, so the two manage to sit next to each other.

It’s not that long of a trip from Connecticut to Manhattan, but it gives Rory and Jess more than enough time to catch up on their reading. 

Rory takes Woolf’s _ Mrs. Dalloway _ out of her purse, and Jess cracks open his worn-out copy of _ Mansfield Park _. 

When he’s not looking, Rory catches a glimpse of the notes on the margins, written in his neat, focused handwriting and this one passage he’s underlined. 

‘_ Her own thoughts and reflections were habitually her best companions _ ’ Austen wrote. ‘ _ And, undoubtedly, also her greatest torturers. _’ Jess added as a note. 

Rory smiles to herself at that before turning her attention back to her own book. 

**

“Wow, this is one fancy building” Rory comments as they hop out of the cab. 

“Yeah, Victoria inherited the penthouse from her dad after he died a couple years ago” Jess explains, “She didn’t like it at first, thought it was ‘too much’, but it didn’t take long for her to get used to it." 

“I think anyone could get used to this” She says, sighing wistfully. 

“It’s definitely better than the dumps I’ve lived in, for sure”.

“Well, at least your place in Philly now is pretty nice.” Rory points out, bumping shoulders with him. 

He half-smiles. “I guess.”

The doorman recognizes Jess, so he immediately lets them inside. They get on the elevator and head up to Victoria’s floor. 

Jess doesn’t need to ring the bell because he has a key, so they walk right into Victoria’s place. She’s in the balcony on a call, so she just waves at them and signals to say she’ll be right with them.

Rory takes a look around, and the apartment is very clean and spacious. The furniture and the decorations aren’t in any way gaudy, but still look extremely expensive. 

“Hey, guys” Victoria greets them she walks into the living room, sliding the door to the balcony closed “Sorry about that. It’s just… work… stuff.”

“Hi” She says before giving Jess a quick peck on the lips. “How was the train ride over?” His girlfriend asks, fidgeting with her phone in her hands. 

“It was okay” Jess replies simply. 

“Good, that’s good” Victoria nods. “Oh, happy birthday Rory!” She exclaims as she turns her attention to the brunette. 

“Thanks, Victoria” Rory beams a bit shyly in response. 

“Before I forget, I got you something” Victoria says, then disappears into the hallway for a minute, before returning with a small gift box in hand. She hands it to Rory, whose eyes widen in surprise. 

“Wow, thank you” She says, “You didn’t have to get me anything, really.” 

Victoria waves a hand at her dismissively. “Ah, it was nothing. I just hope you like it.” 

“I’m sure I’ll love it” Rory tells her, and puts the little box into her bag. 

“Jess, I need to talk to you about the chapters you sent me later” The blonde says to Jess, and before he can respond, her phone begins to buzz again. “Goddamn it. Hold on.” 

She walks back into the balcony and puts the phone to her ear, and Rory looks at Jess with the slightest raise of an eyebrow. He just shrugs in response. 

The call only lasts about three minutes, but it seems heated. Victoria lets out an exasperated huff as she returns to the living room. “I have to go” She says, putting on her coat, “Crisis at the office.” 

“Do you know when you’ll be back?” Jess asks her. 

“Not sure, but hopefully in time to get ready for the gig” His girlfriend replies, throwing her car keys and her phone into her purse haphazardly as she heads towards the front door. “You’re welcome to stay here, of course, but if you go out, remember to lock up. I’ll see you guys soon.” 

Before either of them can say anything, Victoria hurries out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her. 

After a beat of silence, Rory decides to ask what she’s been meaning to from the moment they stepped foot into Victoria’s apartment. “Hey, Jess?” She calls, a bit hesitantly. 

“Yeah?” 

“Is everything… okay, between you two?” 

He avoids her gaze for a second, and runs a hand over his jaw. “Honestly?” Jess raises a brow at her, with a look on his face she can’t quite read. “I’m not sure.” 

Rory offers a sympathetic smile, tugging on her coat’s sleeve. “I’m sorry. I hope you figure things out.” She says, a little afraid it might sound insincere, even though she means it. 

Jess spares a weak smile. “Thanks.” 

“So” She clasps her hands together, hoping to try and lighten the mood somehow, “What do you want to do now?” 

“It’s your birthday, Gilmore. You choose.” 

“I was hoping you’d say that” An impish grin appears on Rory’s face, and Jess narrows his eyes at her, ever-so-slightly. 

“Should I be afraid?” 

She just shrugs as she leads the way out of the apartment. “Maybe” Rory tells him over her shoulder. 

** 

“Admit it, there is nothing better than New York pizza” Jess says as he grabs himself another slice. 

“There is nothing better than New York pizza” Rory agrees, her mouth still half-full. “I should know, I am a something of a pizza connoisseur. I was _ raised _ on pizza.” 

“Mm, try this” He hands her a bottle of barbecue sauce, and Rory frowns at him. “Trust me, it’s life changing.” 

She takes another slice and squeezes some of the sauce on it, then takes a bite, and surprisingly enough, it _ is _ delicious. “God, this is good” Rory mumbles, taking another bite and Jess chuckles softly. 

“Told you.” 

A little while later, they pay and then leave the warmth of the small Italian restaurant and walk into the cold October air, holding on to their coats. “So, where to now?” Jess asks, putting on his sunglasses. 

“Mm, I don’t know” Rory says as she scrolls through her phone, looking for activities, until something catches her eyes, making her face light up with excitement. 

“Oh my god, they’re showing _ When Harry Met Sally _ at Central Park in twenty minutes! We _ have _ to go!” She squeals, and seems like she’s only two seconds away from jumping up and down on a crowded street in Manhattan, so Jess decides to indulge her. It _ is _ her birthday, after all. 

He promptly hails a cab and they scramble into the car, Rory’s grin growing wider by the minute. Jess can’t remember the last time he’s seen her look this happy, but it suits her. He can’t help but to smile as well. 

They arrive at Central Park just in time for the showing, and have to overpay for a blanket so they can sit down on the grass. Even though they just ate, Jess still gets Rory a bucket of popcorn and a coke from a food stand nearby. 

Jess knows Rory has seen this movie at least twenty times, but she’s still paying full attention. Meg Ryan’s voice completely fades into the background as he looks over at Rory. 

He doesn’t even realize he’s staring until she turns to him with a frown. “What? Do I have something on my face?” She asks, and although that’s not the reason why Jess was looking at her, she actually does some caramel from the popcorn on the corner of her mouth. 

“Yeah, just…” Jess then gently wipes it away with his thumb, and Rory smiles. “All better.” 

“Thanks” She says, a little flushed. “Popcorn?” Rory offers, handing him the now only half-full bucket. 

He smirks. “Sure, why not?” 

**

It’s not long until the movie ends and people start getting up to leave. The sun is almost set, so they should probably head back to Victoria’s place soon. 

“I think we should go” Rory tells Jess, attempting to get up. 

"Wait” He stops her, “I still haven’t given you your gift.” 

“You got me a present?” She checks, sitting back down, unable to contain the grin on her face. 

“Jeez, don’t sound too surprised” Jess scoffs as he reaches for something in his messenger bag, and Rory chuckles softly. 

He hands Rory the gift and she shakes it as a joke, because judging by the shape, she’s almost certain it is a book. “Come on, open it” Jess urges her, and so Rory does. 

She rips the wrapping and inside it’s not a book, but a journal, with a blue velvet cover and a heart shaped lock. “Jess, this is beautiful” Rory says, running her fingers over the smooth fabric of the cover. “But how do I open it?” 

“Ah, glad you asked” Jess replies with that devilish smirk she knows so well. “That brings us to the follow-up gift.”

“You got me _ two _ gifts?” 

“No, I got you a gift and a _ follow-up _ gift” He clarifies, “Keep up, Gilmore.” 

Jess then retrieves a small box from his bag, and gives it to Rory. She unties the bow and opens the box, revealing the golden necklace with a heart-shaped pendant inside. 

“Now here’s the cool part” Jess takes the necklace from the gift box, then fits the pendant in the journal’s heart-shaped lock, pressing it lightly, and it suddenly unlocks.

Rory doesn’t know what to say. She looks down at the journal and then over at him, feeling her entire face warm up, like she’s suddenly seventeen again. 

“Thank you” Rory finally manages, and crawls over to pull Jess into a hug. “I love it” She says, with a smile on her face, one which he returns. 

“Well… I’m glad” He replies. 

“Could you…?” She asks, turning around so he clasp the necklace on for her. Jess brushes Rory’s hair away, and does as asked. 

“Thank you” Rory smiles as she backs away, putting the journal into her purse. “Now we should really get going.” 

Jess glances over at his watch, and clears his throat. “Yeah, that’s probably best.” 

** 

They walk back to the penthouse since it’s close enough to the park, and when the two finally get there, Victoria still hasn’t returned, which is a bit odd. 

Jess takes out his phone, and sees that he has one unread text from his girlfriend. 

**Victoria — 6:32 PM **

_ Going to be stuck here for a while. I’ll try to meet you guys at the concert venue later. _

Jess sighs, then types up a quick reply. 

**Jess — 7:15 PM **

_ I’ll see you there. _

“Everything okay?” Rory checks, playing with the strap of her overnight bag. 

“Yeah, everything’s fine. Victoria will just meet us there.” 

“Oh” She just nods, choosing not to press by asking more questions. “Well, I need to change, so could you show me to the bathroom?” 

“Why don’t you go into the guest room instead?” Jess suggests, leading the way. “There’s also a bathroom in there.” He adds. 

“Okay, thanks” Rory says and walks into the room, closing the door behind her. 

She takes a look around, and then strips out of her clothes before taking out a red dress from her bag. Rory puts it on, then takes a look at the full length mirror in the corner. 

The dress is short-sleeved and has a straight-across neckline. Rory smooths the fabric on the skirt, and stares back at the mirror, and she really likes the way the dress fits. 

Rory replaces her brown leather boots with a pair of comfortable heels, and puts her coat back on. She only runs a brush through her hair and doesn’t dwell much on her makeup, trying not to overdo it. 

She gathers her belongings and goes back into the living room, and Jess is also already dressed, sitting on the couch. “Don’t you clean up well?” He teases, a sly smile on his face. 

“Thanks. You don’t look too bad yourself.” Rory says, matching his grin. 

“We should probably get going” Jess tells her as he puts on his jacket. “Chris will throw a fit if we’re late.” 

“Right, and we don’t want that.” 

“We do not” He says. “Hey, where are you staying tonight?” 

“At Paris’ place” Rory replies simply, then her lips quirk up teasingly. “Why, you were hoping I’d stay here and share the bed with you and Victoria?” 

Jess blanches at her little comment, but still attempts to play it cool. “Ha-ha” He deadpans. “You’re very funny.” 

She shrugs innocently, then puts on a serious face. “Hey, maybe don’t try to paint the picture in your head” Rory quips, then gestures vaguely at his crotch, “Or we might have a _ very _ awkward situation in our hands.” 

He shakes his head, a smirk tugging on his lips. “You know, when I think you couldn’t get any more like your mother…” 

Rory half-chuckles. “I’ll tell her you said that.” 

Jess rolls his eyes at her as he ushers her out of the apartment. “Let’s go, you menace” He grumbles, and that only makes Rory laugh harder. 

**

On the way to the venue, they stop by Paris’ building so Rory can give the housekeeper her overnight bag. 

** 

When they arrive, Jess’ friends are already gathered backstage, along with Jenna’s band. “There he is!” Matthew exclaims before pulling Jess into a tight hug. “Long time, no see, Mariano.” 

“Good to see you, man” He smirks, then turns to Chris, who’s looking at him with a scowl, arms folded over his chest. “Hey, Chris. Aren’t you going to give your kid’s godfather a hug?” 

His friend’s expression suddenly lightens. “Bring it in!” He laughs, before going in for a hug. “So glad you could make it.” 

“Are you two done bro-ing it out yet?” Jenna, Chris’ wife says as he appears from behind the velvet curtain. She is very pretty, with brown skin and long dark hair. Rory only met her once, but she seemed really nice back then. “How are you, Jess?” 

“I’m good, I’m good” He replies, wrapping his arms around her. “How are you? I hear congratulations are in order.” 

“I’m great” Jenna smiles, then puts a hand to her stomach. “Hoping for a girl” She grimaces, holding up her fingers crossed. 

“We’re starting a poll to see if it’s going to be a boy or a girl” Matthew tells Jess, “What’s your take?” 

Jess runs a hand over his chin, pretending to really ponder his answer. “I think I’m going with girl” He says and receives a high-five from Jenna. 

“My goodness, we are being so rude!” Jenna exclaims suddenly, noticing Rory standing by. “Hi, Rory! So glad you could make it.” 

“Hey, Jenna, everyone” She says, raising a hand a bit awkwardly. “It’s okay, really. I don’t mind.” 

“You should mind!” Matthew tells her, “I mean, it _ is _ your birthday after all, right?” 

“It is?” Jenna checks, lifting her brows. “Happy birthday, sweetheart!” She exclaims, pulling Rory into a hug. 

“Happy birthday, Rory” Chris says, and gives her a kiss on the cheek. He then hands her a gift, that is shaped like a book, except it feels heavier. “That’s from me and Matthew.” 

“And that is not because I forgot to get you something, I was actually involved in the process” Matthew clarifies, before wrapping his arms around her. “Happy birthday, hope it’s a good one.” 

“Thank you so much, guys” Rory’s smile couldn’t possibly be wider. “You didn’t have to do this, seriously.” 

“Since I couldn’t get you a gift” Jenna says, “I’ll give you this. You can pick a song for us to play on the set tonight. Any song. Well, any song I know the lyrics to.” 

“Ooh, this is hard” Rory winces slightly, biting her bottom lip as she tries to think of something. “I don’t know… Maybe _ Rolling In The Deep _ by Adele?”

Jenna grins in approval. “Great choice. I’ll let the band know.” 

“Hey, man” Matthew nudges Jess in the arm, “Where’s Victoria?” 

“She’s stuck at work” Jess explains, “She’ll try to get here later, though.” 

“Uh-huh” His friend nods slowly. “And things are good with you two?” 

“Yeah. I mean, as good as they can be.” 

Jess’ answer isn’t too convincing, but Matthew chooses not to give him his two cents right away, at least not now. “Okay” Is all he says instead. 

**

The concert is nearly over, and the last song the band is going to play is Rory’s request of _ Rolling In The Deep _. 

“This last song was a request from someone who’s getting older today” Jenna tells the crowd, and everyone cheers. “So before we play it, I suggest we all sing Happy Birthday to Rory. Okay, so in one, two, three…” 

And just like that, Rory has a full room of strangers sing her Happy Birthday, making her grin like a little kid the entire time. Then, they wrap it up, and the bass player starts playing the initial chords to the Adele song. 

_ There's a fire starting in my heart _

_ Reaching a fever pitch and it's bringing me out the dark _

Rory and Matthew sing along together, and Chris and Jess watch in amusement. 

_ Finally I can see you crystal clear _

_ Go 'head and sell me out and I'll lay your ship bare _

Suddenly, Victoria shows up, making her way through the crowd. “Hey, I’m so sorry I’m late” She has to yell so the others can hear her. 

“What happened to your hair?” Jess yells back, noticing her formerly long locks are now just above her shoulders. 

“Oh, I cut it” She tells him simply, “Why, you don’t like it?” 

“I’m just confused, when did you have time to get a haircut? I thought you were stuck at work”. 

Victoria shrugs. “I was, but I have scissors in my office” She explains, but that only brings up more questions. “Oh, I love this song”. 

_ The scars of your love remind me of us (You’re gonna wish you never had met me) _

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Jess checks, his brows furrowed with concern. “Because I’m afraid you might be on the brink of a nervous breakdown here.”

_ They keep me thinking that we almost had it all (Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep) _

“Yeah, I’m fine” She assures him, putting a hand to his shoulder. “Don’t worry about me.” 

Victoria turns her attention back to the band, tapping her foot to the rhythm of the song, but Jess continues to look over at her, and he can’t help but worry. 

**

The set ends and Chris and Matthew go help the band take the instruments off the stage and back into the van, while Rory, Jess and Victoria wait outside of the venue. 

They’re left in an awkward silence, till Rory decides to break it. “Victoria, I like the new hair” She says, “It- it suits you.” 

The blonde smiles. “Thanks, Rory. I like your dress.” 

“Thank you.” 

“Hello, party people!” Matthew shouts, with his arms outstretched as he walks up to them. Chris and Jenna are right behind him, with their hands intertwined. “We’re going to this pub downtown now, and Benjamin will meet us there.” 

“Oh, awesome” Rory grins. “I can’t wait to meet him.” 

“I think you’ll like him” Matt says, putting an arm around her. “He’s a writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer, you know.” 

“Really?” Rory checks, her blue eyes widened. “That is _ so _ cool!” 

She asks him a little bit more about Benjamin, and Matthew, of course, talks her ear off, but Rory doesn’t mind. 

Chris and Jenna decide to take a cab and meet them there, and the others get into Victoria’s black Lexus. 

Rory often catches Jess looking over at his girlfriend, but they barely speak to each other, so she makes a mental note to check in on him later. 

** 

“Oh, no” Jess suddenly stops as they step into this underground Irish pub, “It’s _ karaoke _ night.” He groans, and his friends laugh. 

“Score!” Matthew says and he and Chris share a high-five. “This wasn’t even planned” He tells Jess on their way to a table, but Jess doesn’t believe him for a second. 

They all settle into a table in a well-lit corner, and immediately order a round of drinks — and a glass of Coke for Jenna. 

A few minutes later, Benjamin walks into the pub, immediately apologizing for being late. “Hey, everyone” He greets them as he takes a seat next to Matthew. “I had a couple of articles to edit, and ended up losing track of time. I’m really sorry.” 

“Don’t worry about it, man” Chris assures him, “Hey Ben, there’s someone here who’s been dying to meet you. This is Rory Gilmore” He says, turning over to her. 

“Hi, it’s really nice to meet you” Rory and Benjamin shake hands over the table. 

“You, too. I gotta say, your name does sound familiar” Ben says, narrowing his eyes slightly. “Didn’t you write a piece for the New Yorker a few years back?” 

Rory can’t help but feel flattered. “You must have a really good memory, that was over three years ago, but yeah, I did.” 

“Or maybe it was just a memorable piece” He half-shrugs, and Rory chuckles. 

“Thank you, either way. That’s very kind of you.” 

“So, where are you working at now?” Benjamin asks, “Please say The Times. I would die to have someone tell me what goes inside _ that _ place.” 

Her face falls a little. “Oh, actually, I’m not in the field anymore” Rory lets forces out a laugh, “It’s kind of a long story, but I teach high school English now. At the school I went to, actually.” 

“That’s still pretty cool” Ben tells her, probably only to try and make her feel better. “You’re shaping the young minds of tomorrow. Very honorable.” 

“I guess so” She shrugs half-heartedly, taking a sip of her gin and tonic. 

“But, if you ever want to get back on the saddle, I’m sure the Philly Inquirer would love to have you.” 

Rory beams. “Thank you, I’ll keep that in mind.” 

“So, Jess, tell us about this book you’re writing” Jenna urges him, tapping her hands on the table excitedly. “Is it the next great American novel?” 

He lets out a dry chuckle. “Doubtful.” 

“He’s being modest” Victoria rolls her eyes at her boyfriend. “It’s really good, and I’ve only read the first chapters.” 

“Care to share any details?” Matthew asks, raising an eyebrow at Jess. 

“Nope.” 

“Come on! The main character’s name?” 

“No.” 

“How about the initial of the name?” 

Jess shakes his head in response. 

“Okay, where is it set?” Matt tries again after letting out an exasperated sigh. 

“New York” Jess replies, downing the rest of his scotch. “And other places.” 

“See? That wasn’t so hard.” His friend says, pushing his shoulder and the others laugh. 

A server passes through, and Jenna calls after her. “What can I get you all?” The woman asks with a warm smile. 

“Definitely nachos” Chris says. 

“Chicken wings?” Rory suggests and the rest agree, “Ooh, and fries. Lots of fries.” 

“Anything else?” 

“I think we’re good for now” Jenna tells the waitress with a smile, and she nods. 

“I’m going over to the bar” Victoria says, then taps Jess on the shoulder. “Come with?” 

“Uh, sure.” 

The two excuse themselves from the table and head towards the bar. “Um, two scotches and two shots of tequila” Victoria tells the bartender, sliding him a fifty dollar bill. 

He promptly fixes the drinks, sliding them over the island. Jess takes one of the scotches and Victoria does the two shots of tequila by herself, before taking a sip of the whiskey.

“Hey, slow down” Jess urges her, and she just scowls at him. 

“I’m fine” Victoria tells him, for what feels like the twentieth time today. 

“Okay”. 

They both finish their drinks, and when Jess turns to get back to their table, Victoria grabs him by the wrist and leads them towards the men’s room. 

She pushes him into the bathroom and locks the door behind them, before starting to sloppily kiss him. “What are you doing?” He frowns, pulling her away. 

“I’m _ trying _ to have sex with my boyfriend” Victoria says, reaching for his belt, but Jess stops her. 

“We’re not doing this now!” 

She scoffs, taking a step back as she crosses her arms defensively. “And why not? Are you not attracted to me anymore? Is it the haircut?” 

“No, it’s not that” He lets out a sigh. “Of course I’m still attracted to you, I just— Our friends are out there and this… bathroom, it’s disgusting.” 

Victoria inhales deeply, pursing her lips. “Are you fucking her?” 

“Who?” 

“You know who! Freaking Snow White out there!” She yells, and Jess shakes his head, running a hand over his jaw. 

“I can’t believe you’re even asking me this” He tells her, “Of course not, Victoria! Jesus.”

“Well, I don’t know what to think anymore” Victoria says quietly, resting her hands up against the sink. “I don’t know what to do, or what to say...” 

A beat of silence. “Neither do I.” 

“I’m sorry I threw myself at you like that. It was stupid.” 

“It’s okay” Jess assures her. “Come on, let’s get back out there, have some fun. We can discuss everything else later.” 

Victoria spares a weak smile. “Okay.” She says as he brushes her hair away from her face.

** 

After finishing their rendition of _ No Scrubs, _ which received loud cheers from the pub-goers _ , _Chris and Matthew drunkenly stumble back to the table. 

“So, who’s up next?” Matthew asks loudly, “Birthday girl! Come on, show us what you got!” 

“No, no way” Rory shakes her head and laughs. “I am _ not _ going up by myself.” 

“Jess will go with you” Benjamin says, and Jess glares at him.

“So you like throwing people under the bus, huh?” He _ tsks _. “And to think I actually liked you.” 

“Quit whining, Mariano” Jenna rolls her eyes at him. “It’s your friend’s _ birthday _. You dragged her out here, so I think you owe her at least one song.” 

Jess looks over at Rory, who’s biting back a laugh. “Did you put them up to this?” 

She raises her hands in self-defense, and puts on a serious face. “I swear on my mother’s grave that I didn’t”. 

“Your mother is alive!” 

“Whatever!” Rory snorts, then tugs on the sleeve of his shirt insistently. “Come on, Jess. It’s my _ birthday _!”

He lets out a pained groan, but still lets Rory drag him to the small stage. She whispers something into the ear of the guy in charge of the karaoke machine, then hands one of the bedazzled microphones to Jess. 

“Oh, no” Jess mouths as the opening to _ Africa _ by Toto comes on, and Rory just shrugs, a little smirk on her face. 

She starts swaying to the beat, then gives Jess a push on the arm so he’ll follow her lead, and begrudgingly so, he does. 

At first, Jess just flatly recites the lyrics to the song, but eventually gives in and actually sings, albeit very badly, eliciting a warm laugh from Rory. 

“_ It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you… _ ” They sing loudly, pointing at each other. “ _ There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do… _”

Rory waves her free hand in the air, pretending to be hitting a drum, and Jess chuckles, almost tripping over one of the extension cords. 

Halfway through the song, Victoria leaves the table and goes to the bar for another round of shots, still looking over at the stage. She huffs, then gets back to her chair, folding her arms over chest. 

As their little performance comes to an end, Jess and Rory join hands and bow, getting a round of applause from their drunken crowd in response. 

When they return to the table, Matthew gets up on his chair, and calls everyone’s attention to himself. 

“Tonight, people, you have witnessed a miracle!” He yells out, then gives Jess a hand so he can climb on the chair next to his, “This man, who once swore he would never do karaoke, has just sung his heart out to Toto! So, cheers to Jess!” 

“To Jess!” Their table and the other pub-goers cheer. 

Jess, being far from sober, takes a bow and descends from the chair, moving over to sit down next to his girlfriend. 

Conversation comes and goes, along with more drinks, until the topic of the turn is who they could set Rory up with, despite her protesting. 

The contenders are: Benjamin’s brother, who is quickly out of the running when the others remember he lives in Seattle. Then, there’s Sean, Jenna’s friend from college, but they all end up agreeing that he is a little _ too _ odd. 

“Ooh, ooh! What about your cousin, Matt?” Jenna suggests, “What’s his name? The hot one.”

Her husband raises an eyebrow at her. “Excuse me?” 

“His name’s Thomas” Matthew clarifies. 

“Oh, yeah” Chris agrees, “Thomas _ is _ hot.”

“See?” 

“Thomas is also engaged” Matt says, showing them his cousin’s engagement post on Facebook on his phone. 

Victoria snorts into her drink. “Well, that shouldn’t be a problem for Rory.” 

The whole table suddenly goes silent. Rory’s face falls, and she sets her glass on the table, unsure of what prompted _ that _. Victoria has never been mean to her before — but again, she does seem off today, ever since this afternoon. 

“Excuse me, I need some air” Rory chokes out, grabbing her coat as she tries to make her way out of the bar. 

“What the fuck is your problem?” Jess says to his girlfriend, then follows Rory out of the pub. 

“Relax! It was a joke!” She calls after him, downing the rest of her drink. 

“Seriously, V?” Matthew shakes his head. “I understand being jealous, but that was just cold. I don’t even know what you meant by that, but it was uncalled for.” 

“I am _ not _ jealous” She mutters defensively. 

“If it’s not that, then what is it?” 

“It’s none of your business” Victoria tells him, getting up to leave. “Tell Jess I had to go.” The blonde says, then heads towards the back door so she won’t risk bumping into Rory and Jess on her way out. 

“I am _ so _ confused” Benjamin says, frowning at his beer bottle, and the others laugh. 

** 

“Hey” Jess says as he manages to catch up with Rory. “Where are you going?” 

“Nowhere” She mumbles, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. “I just needed to get out of there.” 

“I know” He nods. “I—”

“I don’t know what I did” Rory tells him, her voice breaking. “Did I do something? To piss Victoria off or…” 

“You didn’t do anything” Jess assures her. “She’s… going through a thing. I don’t really know what it is exactly, but that doesn’t excuse what she did.” 

“Well, I at least hope she’s okay” She sniffles, running a hand under her nose. “It just sucks, is all. But how does she even know about… that? Did you—” 

“No, I swear” He says, “Someone must’ve blabbed that time she went to Stars Hollow for Thanksgiving or something. I don’t know.”

“Probably, yeah. I forgot about that.” 

“I’m sorry if that ruined your birthday” Jess tells her, an apologetic smirk on his face. 

Rory manages a smile. “Ruined my birthday? Not a chance. This is probably the best birthday I’ve had in years.” 

“See? I told you it’d be fun. I mean, minus this last part.” 

She goes silent for a beat, letting the wind blow softly against her face before speaking again. “I’m not ashamed of it, you know.” 

Jess frowns. “Not ashamed of what?” 

“The affair” Rory clarifies as she buries her hands into her coat pockets, rocking back and forth on her heels. “I mean, it’s not like I’m proud of it or anything, ‘cause I’m not, but I feel like… it happened for a reason. If that makes sense.” 

He nods slowly. “It does make sense.” 

Rory lets out a deep sigh. “I think I should go. It’s late and I have to catch the train back to Hartford tomorrow so…” 

“I understand. We’ll probably head out soon, too.” Jess says, “I take it you don’t want to go back in there to say by to the guys?” 

She grimaces. “I don’t think I should.” 

“Okay” He takes her hand into his own, and squeezes it gently, “Let me know when you get to Paris’, alright? This is no… Stars Hollow, the place where the most infamous crime was when _ someone _stole Pierpon from Babette’s garden.” 

“Ah, I still think the chalk outline of a dead body outside of Doose’s gets the gold” She teases, quirking up a brow at him. “Where’d you get the police tape, anyway?” 

“Who says it was me?” Jess half-shrugs as he walks away, his eyebrows shooting up. 

Rory chuckles softly, then grabs her phone to call herself an Uber. 

Despite the less than great ending, she meant what she said to Jess, this really was the best birthday she’s had in years. And it’s all thanks to him. 

** 

When Rory gets to Paris’ place, her friend greets her with a tight hug. 

“Happy birthday, Gilmore” Paris grins, letting her into the apartment. She’s still wearing a fancy gown, but her shoes are off and her makeup is nearly gone. 

“Thanks, Paris” Rory smiles back, and follows as Paris leads the way to the kitchen. 

“I got you a cake” Paris takes the lid of a white, square box, revealing a large strawberry cheesecake from one of Rory’s favorite bakeries in the city. 

“Oh my god, that looks amazing” The brunette’s mouth nearly waters. “You didn’t have to do that.” 

“Of course I did” Her friend scoffs, “It’s not everyday that my best friend turns thirty-five. Now it’s only _ five _ years till you’re forty.” 

“Thanks for reminding me” Rory muses, making a face. She then takes a forkful of the cheesecake into her mouth. “Mm, so good.” 

“So how was your day?” 

“Overall? Pretty great” She responds with a nod, “Jess and I got pizza, then we went to a showing of _ When Harry Met Sally _ in Central Park, which was awesome. We went to his friend Chris’ wife Jenna’s concert, and she had the entire room sing me Happy Birthday! Can you believe that?” 

“Wow, that _ is _ pretty cool” Paris agrees. 

“Right? And then we went to this Irish pub and guess what? It was karaoke night, and I even managed to get Jess to sing a song with me and he _ loathes _ karaoke.” 

“Huh” The blonde hums, with a slight lift of her eyebrows. 

“What?” Rory asks, pausing with her fork mid-air. 

“Nothing, it just seems like Jess played a huge role in making this such a good day. It’s interesting.” 

“It’s not ‘interesting’, it’s… nothing” Rory puts down her fork. “Yes, I had a good time and he played a part in that, but that doesn’t mean anything.” 

“I feel like you’re holding out on me, Gilmore” Paris eyes her suspiciously. “Are you sure there isn’t anything going on between the two of you?” 

“Jess is one of my closest friends, Paris. Like you, or Lane—” 

“No, he’s not.” 

“And why not?” 

“Because you don’t want to sleep with either of us!” Paris exclaims, a little exasperated, “I don’t think.” She adds, with a sly smirk on her lips. 

“I don’t want to sleep with Jess!” Rory protests, taking another bite of the cake.

“Have I thought about it? Yes. Of course I have. I mean, you’ve seen the guy. I might also have had a couple of… confusing dreams involving him, but that doesn’t mean I should act on it. Plus, he has a girlfriend.” She rambles on, revealing a whole of a lot more than she would have if she was sober, but Paris doesn’t seem at all surprised at her confessions. 

“He has a girlfriend?” 

“Yep” Rory nods. “She’s really nice. Except she was kind of a bitch to me tonight for no reason. Well, I’m sure she had a reason, but I don’t know what it was.” 

“Rory, you can be so clueless sometimes” Her friend shakes her head, almost in disbelief. “Can’t you see that she’s _ threatened _ by your ‘friendship’ with Jess?” 

“Take back those air quotes!” 

“You _ know _ I’m right. Exes can’t be friends.” 

“Of course they can!” Rory insists. “Jess and I are friends, _ just _ friends, and that is why Victoria has no reason to be threatened.” 

Paris just sighs. “Come on, let’s get you into bed. Drunk Rory is fun, but she can also be one pain in the the ass” She says, ushering Rory out of the kitchen, and into her guest bedroom. 

“_ You’re _ a pain in the ass” Rory grumbles, as she falls onto the queen-sized bed. 

“Goodnight” Her friend half-chuckles, “I’ll see you in the morning.” 

“Whatever” She mumbles, then rolls over so she’s facing Paris, “Hey, could you get me my phone? It’s in my coat. I need to call Jess.” 

Before Paris can say anything, Rory shoots her a warning glare. “Don’t even think about it!” 

Without another word, Paris retrieves Rory’s phone and closes the door to the room behind her. Rory dials Jess’ number, but it just rings and rings, then goes to voicemail. 

“_ Hey, Jess. It’s me. Rory. You know that. I just wanted to thank you for an amazing day and for… y’know… being my friend. You’re truly the best. I’ll see you tomorrow. _” She leaves the message on his voicemail, then immediately falls asleep, snoring softly. 

** 

The next afternoon, Rory is the one waiting for Jess at the train station, holding two cups of coffee in her hands. When he shows up at the platform, he doesn’t look like got much sleep, but he still spares a weak smile when he sees her. 

He’s glad to see she’s still wearing the necklace that came with the diary he gave her, but doesn’t say anything. 

“Hey” She says, handing him one of the coffees. “How’d you sleep?” 

Jess huffs gently. “Not well. You?” 

“Like a baby” Rory half-shrugs, taking a sip of her coffee. “I kind of passed out after I went into Paris’ guest room. But what happened after I left?” 

He looks down at his shoes, tugging on the strap of his messenger bag, then lets out a sigh. “Victoria and I… We decided to take a break.” 

Rory almost spills out her coffee. “What?” She checks. “A break? As in taking some time apart or a break as in a… break _ up _?”

“I’m not sure yet” Jess says. “She’s having a hard time at work right now and there’s this thing with her mother and I guess… it’s just a lot for her, right now.” 

Rory nods with understanding. “I’m sorry, Jess” She tells him genuinely. “I hope it wasn’t because of—” 

“No, no, this had nothing to do with _ that _” He responds, even if it’s only partly true. “We had a long talk, hence the lack of sleep, and decided that this was for the best for a number of reasons. That’s all.” 

“And you’re sure you’re okay?” 

“I’m fine” Jess assures her. 

Before Rory can say anything else, the train back to Hartford arrives. They get in, and Jess lets her sit by the window again. This time, only she reads — he falls asleep on her shoulder almost immediately. 

When they’re halfway there, Rory’s phone chimes, and she has four new text messages from an unsaved number. 

**Unknown number — 2:32 PM**

_ Rory, it’s Victoria. Sorry if it’s weird that I’m texting you – Jess gave me your number last night, in case I wanted to apologize, and I do, I really do. _

_ So, here goes: I am so sorry. What I said was unfair and petty, and I shouldn’t have taken out my own frustrations on you, especially not on your birthday. That truly was a dick move. _

_ You may know that Jess and I decided to take a break (even if we don’t exactly know what that means yet), so I just wanted to ask you to take care of him. Make sure he writes, because this book is what puts him over the top. I can feel it. I’m sorry again for everything. _

_ I hope you can forgive me and that I didn’t completely ruin your birthday. Hopefully the gift I got you will help with that? _

Rory nearly forgot about her birthday presents. She decides to take some time to think about what she’ll write to Victoria, and grabs her overnight bag to see what she and Chris and Matthew got her instead. 

She unwraps Victoria’s gift first. It’s a box from Tiffany’s, with a pair of earrings inside. They’re absolutely beautiful and way too expensive, so much that it almost makes Rory feel bad. She carefully closes the box and puts it into her purse. 

Rory opens Chris and Matthew’s present next. She rips the gift wrapping, and inside, a manuscript entitled “The Subsect” and “THE UNEDITED, UNADULTERATED VERSION. (Including author’s personal notes)” written in red ink underneath. 

Her jaw drops, and she tries not to gasp in order not to wake Jess up. Rory flips through the pages, and Jess’ handwriting is all over them. It’s like getting a glimpse of a little of what goes on in his head — something she secretly always wanted. 

She sneaks the manuscript into her purse, then puts a hand to the pendant on her necklace. 

“Best birthday ever” Rory whispers to herself. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as usual, sorry for any mistakes!! till next time xo


	11. The One With The Message

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory and Logan take a meeting with a custody counselor. Jess deals with the aftermath of his breakup with Victoria.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone!! hope it hasn't been too long since the last update and that you're all well. i don't really know how i feel about this chapter, but hopefully you'll still enjoy it!  
thank you for your comments and kudos, they mean the world.  
happy reading!

“Okay, folks” The counselor cuts in, raising a placating hand at the two. “I think we should all take a moment to… collect ourselves, and try to come to an accord _ rationally _.”

Rory huffs, crossing her arms defensively. “Okay” She nods, “But I still don’t think I’m the one who’s being irrational here.” Rory adds, shooting Logan a pointed look, to which he responds with a roll of his eyes. 

“Oh, nice” Logan scoffs. “Now I’m being irrational because I don’t want to disrupt my entire life to do things the way _ you _ want?”

Before Rory can respond, Mr. Thorne, the custody counselor, interrupts. “Now, how about a break?” He suggests, putting on a smile. “We have coffee and water in the reception, so why don’t you go there, so we can continue the meeting with clearer heads?” 

From his tone, Logan and Rory can tell that’s not really a suggestion, so they begrudgingly get up from their chairs and leave Mr. Thorne’s office. 

Rory takes off in a faster pace in front of Logan, and nearly slams the door in his face, making him let out an exasperated sigh and look over at the counselor with an expression that says ‘_ Women, right?’ _before he follows Rory to the reception. 

Mr. Thorne shakes his head, and exhales deeply, before pressing the intercom button on his desk. “Hannah, could you please bring me some aspirin?” He asks his secretary as he massages his temples, trying to soothe the headache this meeting has given him. 

Rory pours herself some coffee, then makes a face when she takes a sip. That may look and smell like coffee, but it does not taste like it at all. 

“Hey” Logan approaches her, opting for water instead of coffee. 

“Hey” She mutters into her cup, trying to force herself to finish that poor excuse for coffee. 

“Look—” He starts, but Rory cuts him off. 

“Logan, whatever this is, can’t it wait till we’re back in the office? I really do need a break.” 

Logan doesn’t insist. “Okay, Ace” He says, dropping his hands to his sides before he walks away and sits down in one of the cushioned chairs by the reception desk. 

Rory throws the plastic cup away and then takes a seat in a chair facing him. She takes out her copy of _ The Waves _and manages to tune out her surroundings (and Logan) for a while, till Mr. Thorne calls them back into his office. 

The room smells like tobacco and old books, and it reminds Rory of her grandfather’s study, except Mr. Thorne’s office has a lot more weight to it, it feels stuffy, in a way that is almost uncomfortable. 

“I’ve taken this time to evaluate both sides, and I think I’ve come to a preliminary conclusion” He tells the two, lacing his fingers together over his desk. “Mr. Huntzberger, I know this probably isn’t what you would like to hear, but I don’t think we’ll reach a solution, unless you’re willing to make a commitment.” 

Logan draws his brows closer together. “A commitment?” He checks, and Mr. Thorne assents. 

“You mentioned getting divorced recently, correct? So I’d assume your job is the only thing keeping you across the pond.” 

“I guess” Logan half-shrugs. “What are you getting at here, exactly?” 

“Isn’t there a way would could transfer somewhere closer?” The counselor asks, adjusting his glasses. “I think Ms. Gilmore’s biggest issue would be having to stay away from your son for an extended period of time, but that wouldn’t be a problem if you were in the area.” 

Logan mulls over the question, then nods. “I could ask for a transfer to New York, but getting one is a whole different story” He says finally. 

“Well, there’s no harm in trying, right?” 

“No, sir. There’s not.” 

“Ms. Gilmore, do you have anything you’d like to add?” 

Rory shakes her head, biting back a smile. “Not really.” 

“Very well. So, Mr. Huntzberger, then you’re willing to ask for a transfer? Because if there’s anything else, whatever it is, keeping you in London, we can try to find another solution.” 

The blond sighs. “No, there’s nothing keeping me there. I’ll see to the transfer as soon as I get back to England.” 

“Alright, that is good” Mr. Thorne nods, “I think we’re starting to make some progress here, and that is all we can do for today. There’s still a long way to go, but a commitment on both parts is a nice place to start.” 

“We agree” Logan says, rising to his feet, then turns to Rory. “Right?” 

“Sure” She replies with a small smile on her face, before getting up. “Thank you, Mr. Thorne” Rory walks up to the desk to shake his hand, and Logan does the same. 

“I’ll see you in the next meeting. Have a nice day.” 

Rory and Logan bid the man goodbye and leave the office, heading towards the elevators. “Hey, Logan?” She calls, making him turn around to face her. 

“Yeah?” 

She exhales gently through her nose. “Thank you.” 

He frowns at her. “For what?” 

“For trying.” 

That brings a weak smile to his face. “No need to thank me, Ace. Just thinking about what’s best for our son.” 

She matches his smile, fidgeting with her hands a bit nervously. “Still… thanks. I’m glad we’re on the same page — or at least getting there.” 

“Me, too.” 

** 

Jess knocks then pushes through the front door of the Gilmore house. No one seems to be home, but he doesn’t think anyone will mind if he’s there, considering he just needed to stop by to look for a jacket he accidentally left behind the other day.

He does a quick scan of the living room, then spots the jacket draped over the armchair in the corner. Jess grabs it, but before he can leave, Lorelai suddenly emerges from the kitchen, startling him for a second.

“Jesus, what happened to you?” She says, scrunching up her nose, then gestures vaguely at his beard. “Did you run out of razors or something?” 

“Hi to you, too” Jess muses, rolling his eyes at her and Lorelai snickers. 

“Sorry, _ hi _” She raises her hands in mock-surrender. “Now, really, what’s up with that thing on your face?” 

“Just didn’t feel like shaving” He half-shrugs, running a hand over his jaw. “Are you done mocking? I kinda have to get going.”

“That breakup is hitting you hard, huh?” 

Jess lets out an exasperated sigh. “Rory or Luke?” 

“Luke. He just… let it slip” Lorelai grimaces, then her expression changes, and a look of something resembling concern appears on her face. “I know it’s none of my business, but are you okay?” 

She’s right, it _ is _ none of her business, but Jess can’t bring himself to be bothered by her prying — or caring. “I’m fine” He assures her, with a slight smile. “Thanks.” 

“No problem” She smiles back, slipping her hands into her pockets as she presses her lips together. “Hey, can I ask you a question?” 

Jess hesitates for a moment, then nods. “Sure.” 

“Has Rory mentioned anything that she might be going through right now?” Lorelai asks, “It’s just… I’m worried about her. Ever since Logan came back, I feel like she’s been… off, in a way. And I don’t know why she wouldn’t talk to me about whatever it is that’s bothering her.” 

Jess tries to maintain a neutral expression, but he knows exactly what’s troubling Rory, and right now, he really wishes he didn’t. And that he’d chosen another time to get his stupid jacket back. 

“I think you’re gonna have to ask Rory about it yourself” He tells her simply. “If she hasn’t come to you about it, then she must have a reason for it.” Jess then braces himself, afraid he might be bordering on harsh, “Sorry. Uh, I just don’t think I should… get involved.” 

Lorelai nods slowly before letting out a sigh. “That’s fair. I’m sorry I asked, but you were here and this has been on my mind a lot lately, so I thought I’d at least try.” 

“I get it. But still, try talking to her” He says, “I think it’s the only thing you can do.” 

“Yeah… I guess so. Thanks, Jess.” 

“No problem.” 

They hear the front door click open, and Luke comes into the room, then makes a face when he notices Jess’ beard. “Wow” Luke all but snorts, stifling a laugh. 

Jess scowls at his uncle. “Hey pot, meet kettle.” He deadpans. 

“Hey, I’ll have you know I shaved last night” Luke raises a finger at Jess, then runs both his hands over his face. “Smooth as a baby’s bottom, my friend.” 

Lorelai can’t help but laugh. Jess has a smirk tugging on his lips, but still manages to contain it. “Whatever. I have to go” He says. “I’ll see you guys later.” 

“Looks like someone can’t take a joke!” Luke calls as Jess heads to the door, and his nephew just shakes his head in response, before leaving the house. 

“Come on, Luke. He’s going through a thing, quit chastising him” Lorelai tells her husband, and he shoots her a skeptical look. 

“So you’re telling me you didn’t say a thing about the whole beard situation when you saw him here?” 

“That is _ so _ not the point!” 

Luke chuckles softly, then sits down on the couch. “Come here, I need to talk to you about something” He says, asking her to take a seat next to him and Lorelai does so. 

“That sounds serious” She responds, eyeing him warily. “What’s going on?” 

“Well, I’ve been doing some thinking and trust me, I’ve analyzed this from every possible perspective. I even made one of those pro-con lists Rory loves so much—” 

“You what?” 

“Look, is that really important right now?” Luke continues, “What I’m trying to say is… I think we should do it. The adoption thing, we should do it.” 

Lorelai’s eyes suddenly widen. “Are you sure? Because I meant what I said before, we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, I—” 

“Lorelai, I’ve made up my mind” Luke tells her simply. “Make the call, set an appointment at the agency, because I’m all in. I want this, with you.” 

Her entire face lights up before she pulls him into a tight hug. “Thank you” She says, before gently pressing her lips against his. “This is going to work. I can feel it.” 

“I know.” Her husband smiles. “We can do this.” 

“Yeah” She nods, grinning, “We can do this.” 

** 

“Alex, these are amazing” Rory tells her as she looks through some of the pieces Alex has shown her. “I knew you were talented, but you really do have a gift for this.” 

“Come on, enough with the pompoms” The girl says, with only the hint of a smile on her face. 

“No pompoms, it’s just the truth” Rory insists, handing her papers back. “Also, you really need to learn how to take a compliment.” 

“Whatever” Alex snorts. “So, anyway, I think I have an idea for the contest, and I may or may not have a rough first draft with me. Now, I’m willing to give it to you, but only if you promise not to get _ too _ excited about it.” 

“I promise” Rory simply nods, before holding up her pinkie. Alex, albeit reluctantly, decides to indulge her teacher, and locks their fingers together in a promise.

Alex opens her messenger bag and takes out a short stack of papers held together by a couple of paper clips. She then gives it to Rory, who tries her best to not smile too much. 

“I am… looking forward to reading it” Rory says flatly, and Alex finally spares a smile. 

“Thank you” She replies, then her cellphone chimes in her pocket. “Shoot, my mother’s here. I have to get going.” 

“Okay. Same time, same place next week?” 

“Yeah” Alex says, strapping her bag to her shoulder. “I’ll see you later, Miss G.” 

“See you.” Rory smiles as she leaves the room, then turns her attention to the draft sitting in front of her, opening the first page. 

** 

“Liz?” Jess calls after his mother as he enters her house, but finds his sister sitting on one of the couches in the living room with a pair of bright pink headphones on instead. 

She slides the headphones down to her neck as she notices her brother coming in. “Hey, stranger” Doula says before running over to give Jess a tight hug. 

“Hey, yourself” He replies with a smirk. “How was school?” 

“Fine” His sister shrugs, then narrows her eyes at him slightly. “Mm, just what is different about you? Did you _ finally _ get a haircut? No, wait— _ Ew _, since when do you have a beard?” She reaches out to touch the hair on his face, but Jess swats her hand away. 

“It’s just a beard, okay?” Jess tells her. “Nothing to see here.” 

“Jeez, you sound just like uncle Luke.” Doula says, scrunching up her nose at him. 

He gapes at her, feigning offense. “Take that back!” 

“It’s true!” The girl insists, giving his arm a slight push. “It’s truly no wonder the two of you are related.” 

“You done?” 

Doula chuckles. “Yes, I am” She says, “Now, why did it take you so long to stop by again? I know you and Mom have your issues, but I could really use a visit from my brother every once in a while.” 

Jess lets out a sigh. “How old are you, again?” He teases, and his sister scowls at him. 

“Twelve” She grumbles, crossing her arms over her chest. “How about you answer my question now?” 

“I’ve been busy” He says, and it’s true. Kind of, anyway. Writing the book _ has _ taken up a lot of his time, but the truth is, he tries to put off spending time with his mother as much as he can. 

Although relationship with Liz might have gotten better over the years, it’s still odd for him to be there, inserted into a family that’s completely hers, and not at all his. Jess does love his sister, and he tolerates TJ by now, but he can’t help but to feel out of place around them. 

Because they only know one version of Liz — the new and improved one — and have no actual idea of what the lesser version of her was like, but he does. 

“Busy, huh?” Doula checks, raising an eyebrow at him. 

“Yeah, kid. I’m writing a book.” 

She perks up at that. “Ooh, do I get to read it?” 

“When you’re older, maybe.” 

“So it’s a _ dirty _ book?” 

Jess draws his eyebrows together, unsure of how to respond to that. “It’s not… dirty. It’s just not for children.” 

“I’m turning thirteen next year” Doula says, “Which means I’ll be a teenager. Do I get to read it then?” 

“Uh– maybe. We’ll see.” 

“I think you’re just afraid it’s bad and I’ll make fun of you for it” She tells him. “But I promise I won’t. I will even leave you a nice review on _ Goodreads _.” 

That brings a slight smirk to Jess’ face. “Thanks. I appreciate that.” 

“No problem” His sister shrugs. “Hey, how’s your girlfriend doing?” 

Her question completely catches him off-guard. “What?”

“The cool one, with the leather jacket—” 

“Uh, she’s not… really my girlfriend anymore. We’re taking a break.” 

Doula frowns. “Taking a break? A break from what?” 

“Do we really have to talk about this?” He runs a hand over his chin, “I don’t feel like discussing my relationship problems with my twelve-year-old sister.” 

“It’s your loss. My friends _ always _ come to me for relationship advice. I’m really good.” 

“You’re _ twelve _.” 

“So?” 

“Never mind” Jess sighs. “I just don’t want to talk about this.” 

Doula nods, then squints at him. “Did you grow that beard because you’re grieving the end of your relationship?” 

“Grieving– where are you getting this stuff from, Dr. Phil?” 

“Who’s Dr. Phil?” 

“You know what? It’s not important.” 

“Okay. Now just answer this one question and I _ promise _ I’ll drop this: What do you think were the greatest strengths and weaknesses of your relationship?”

“Oh, jeez…” 

** 

Lorelai gets home from the Inn, then sees that the red light on the answering machine is blinking, which usually means there are new messages on the machine. She presses a button and there’s a beep before the automated voice comes in. “_ You have one new message. _”

“_ Hey Rory, it’s Paris. I’ve been trying to reach your phone all day, but it doesn’t even go to voicemail for some reason, so I’m starting to worry. Let me know how the custody meeting went today. Bye. _ ” The machine beeps again. “ _ You have no new messages. _”

Lorelai just stands there, trying to make sense of what she just heard. Custody meeting? No. She must’ve heard it wrong, because Rory wouldn’t keep something like that from her. She plays Paris’ message again. And again. Until she finally stops herself. 

She sits down on the couch, folding her arms over her chest . Lorelai scoffs to herself. Well, that explains it. That’s why Rory has been acting odd these past few weeks — she should’ve known. Logan coming back unexpectedly… it all adds up. What still doesn’t make sense, however, is why she would keep something this big to herself. 

“Hey” Rory says as she enters the living room, and stops before she can take off her coat when she notices the look on Lorelai’s face. “Mom, what’s wrong?” 

Her mother puts on a smile before turning to her. “There’s a message for you on the machine” Lorelai tells her, and Rory frowns. 

She presses the button to hear the message, and all the color is drained from her face when Paris mentions the custody meeting. This is not how Rory wanted Lorelai to find out. She was _ going _ to tell her. Eventually. 

“_ Eventually _” The way Jess repeated her words echoes in the back of her head. 

“Mom…” Rory tries, “I’m so sorry. I was going to tell you, I swear—” 

“When?” Lorelai asks, her voice filled with hurt. “Because you didn’t take your time telling Paris, or Jess. God, I am your mother. I’m family, how could you think this wouldn’t affect me too?” 

“I knew it would, _ that’s _ why I didn’t tell you. I wanted to figure things out by myself, and I knew you’d want to get involved and I didn’t because I didn’t want you to worry!” 

“You really screwed up there, kid, because I’ve been worried about you for weeks!” Her mother snaps. “Still, I wanted to give you your space, the chance for you to come to me. But you never did.” 

“I was- I was going to tell you” Rory says in a small voice, feeling diminute. “I told you I’m sorry, okay? What else do you want me to say?” 

Lorelai shakes her head, rubbing a hand over her face. “I don’t know. I just figure you could’ve told me. What did you think I was going to do? Put a hit on Logan?” 

“No, but I knew you’d want to get involved, because you’re _ you—” _

“Okay, what is that supposed to mean?” 

“It means you always try to solve my problems for me, to shield me from everything” Rory tells her, “It’s _ always _ been that way. So when this happened, I just wanted to solve it by myself for once. That’s all.” 

“I do that because I’m your _ mother _ . My first instinct will always be to protect you, to try and make things okay, even when they’re not” Lorelai responds. “But I’m also your _ friend _, and I probably would’ve understood if you just talked to me and explained why you didn’t want me to get involved. Except you didn’t.” 

“No, you wouldn’t! You would still try to meddle even if I explicitly told you not to, and you _ know _ it.” Rory lets out a deep sigh. “You know what? I’m not even going to bother. You don’t understand, and you never will, so just forget it.” 

“You’re acting like a child!” 

“That’s what happens when you keep treating me like one!” Rory runs a hand over her forehead in exasperation. 

“I need to get out of here. I can’t do this with you right now.” She turns her back on her mother, then goes into her bedroom.

Rory grabs a change of clothes and stuffs into her her bag, before heading out the back door, slamming it behind her. 

** 

Jess is sitting on the kitchen table, finishing this one chapter, when he hears someone knocking on his door. He closes his laptop and then goes over to answer it. 

“Hey, can I stay here tonight?” Rory asks, but judging by the way she just pushes past him and walks right into the apartment, Jess doesn’t think he really has a choice in the matter. 

“What’s up with you?” He raises an eyebrow at her, and she groans, rubbing her hands over her face. 

“My mom found out about… the custody situation. Paris left a message on the a answering machine asking about how my meeting with the counselor went today and my mother listened to it.” 

Jess winces slightly at that. “Then what happened?” 

“Well, I tried to apologize to her, but then she kept pressing and asking why I didn’t tell her and blew this whole thing out of proportion like I knew she would and I told her that, so we had this huge argument and—” She stops for a second to catch her breath, “And I had to get out of there. So… I came here.” 

“How bad was it? The argument?” 

“I don’t know, it was just _ bad _ ” Rory replies, fidgeting with her coat’s sleeves. “I hate fighting with her, but she can be _ so _ infuriating sometimes. Why doesn’t she get why I didn’t want to tell her about what’s going on with Logan?” 

“Well, I’m guessing she’s just hurt right now” He tells her, “I’m sure that as soon you both have had time to cool off, she’ll be able to understand why you wouldn’t talk to her about this.” 

She lets out a deep sigh, dropping her arms to her sides. “I hope so” Rory says. “The last thing I wanted was to hurt her.” 

“I know.” 

“Sorry for just barging in here like that” She grimaces. “I wasn’t exactly thinking.” 

“Don’t worry about it” Jess says with a slight smirk. “You’re free to stay here if you want. I really don’t mind.” 

“You sure?” 

“Yeah. It’s no problem.” 

“Cool, thanks” Rory manages a smile, then glances over at the bathroom. “I need change out of these clothes, so I’ll… be right back.” 

“Okay.” 

She goes into the bathroom and locks the door, taking off her button up and pencil skirt and changes into a pair of black leggings and an old Yale sweatshirt. 

When she walks back into the living area of the apartment, Jess is back in the kitchen table, typing away on his computer. He’s so concentrated that he doesn’t even hear her coming in, or notice her staring. 

After a moment, he feels her eyes on him, and looks up from his computer. “What are you doing?” 

“Oh, nothing” She shrugs innocently, “How’s the book going?” 

“It’s… going. Not much to tell yet. You know the drill.” 

“I don’t buy that for a second, but whatever. If you don’t want to tell me, I guess I respect your decision.” 

Jess rolls his eyes at her, but his lips still quirk up in amusement. “Thanks.” 

Rory smirks back, then sits down across from him at the table. “How about we order some Chinese food? I’m _ starved _.” 

“Now that you mention it, I could eat” He says, putting his laptop away. “Takeout menus are over there.” 

“Oh, so _ I _ have to order?” She raises a brow at him. “Isn’t the host supposed to do that?” 

“You suggested takeout, you order it.” 

“What kind of rule is that?” 

“Are you going to make the order or not?” 

Rory huffs before moving to grab the phone. “Fine. Extra egg rolls, right?” 

“Do you have to even ask?” 

** 

They’re in the middle of watching an episode of _ Buffy _, when Jess catches Rory looking over at him. 

“Okay, get it all out while you can.” He says as he turns to her. 

“What are you talking about?” 

”The beard. People have been busting my balls about it all day, so have a go at it, but at least be creative.” 

That makes Rory laugh. “Well, I don’t think it looks bad. It’s- it’s... _ manly _.” 

“Manly?” He checks, quirking up a brow at her. 

“I don’t know!” Rory exclaims. “It just— You look good. Not that you don’t always look good, because you do, but this is— Okay, I’m going to stop talking now.” 

Jess smiles, thoroughly amused by her rambling. “No, go on. It’s always nice to hear about just how good-looking I am.” He teases. 

“Oh, grow up. So I said you look good, it’s not a big deal. But if you insist, I can make fun of you instead. It’s your call.” 

“I think I’m good.” 

“I thought so.” She says smugly, folding her arms over chest. 

After a while, Rory ends up falling asleep on the couch. 

Jess shakes his head, then slips an arm under her neck and another under her legs and carries her over to the bed, even if she had insisted to take the couch instead before. He puts a blanket over her, then turns off the lamp on the nightstand. 

The couch is comfortable enough, so Jess settles into it, and keeps watching the show, till he eventually falls asleep too. 

** 

It’s nearly two in the morning when Rory gets up to get herself a glass of water. She grabs a mug from the kitchen cabinet and fills it with tap water. 

Then, she looks over at the couch, where Jess is still fast asleep, snoring softly. Rory turns off the TV and takes the blanket he’s kicked onto the floor, and puts it back over him. 

Before going back to bed, Rory checks her phone, hoping for a missed call or text from her mom, but there’s nothing. 

She hates how disappointed she feels by that — but still, Rory understands, and just hopes that by giving Lorelai some time before she can apologize again, she’ll be able to fix things with her mother. 

  
  



	12. The One With The Make-ups and The Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the fight with her mother, Rory tries to throw herself into her work as a distraction. Jess asks for Rory's help when he has a situation with his sister. Luke and Lorelai take a meeting at the adoption agency.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone!! no, your eyes are not deceiving you, i am posting a new update not even two days after the last one!! i don't know what got into me, but i can't promise it will last. fingers crossed, tho!  
i hope you're all as well as you can be, and that you enjoy this chapter! let me know what you think, and again, your kudos and comments are very much appreciated!!  
happy reading <3

The next morning, Rory manages to leave the apartment unnoticed. She sneaks out before the diner opens at five, then gets back to the house, hoping not to run into Luke or worse, her mom, before leaving for work. 

The school day is dull and drags on – but knowing that she has a day off tomorrow brings her some kind of solace, at least. 

Her mother’s still expertly avoiding her, so it seems. The fact that she knows Rory’s schedule almost as well as her own helps with that, too. 

So when Rory gets home, she learns from Luke that Lorelai will apparently be working late that evening, and won’t make it to dinner. 

It’s clear that he doesn’t want to get involved, but Luke still offers Rory a sympathetic smile after he tells her that, which she appreciates. 

Luke makes pot roast for dinner as a not so subtle attempt to cheer her up, and it’s just them and Richie at the table. After they’ve finished eating, Rory offers to do the dishes, and Luke puts Richie to bed for her. 

Rory dries her hands off with a dishcloth, then goes into the bathroom to take a long, hot shower to try and wash off whatever’s left from that less than optimal day. 

After she’s comfortable and dressed in her matching pajamas, falling asleep doesn’t take long, and Rory drifts into a deep, dreamless sleep. 

** 

Rory wakes up at a little past noon. The sunlight invades her room through the curtains, forcing her to slowly open her eyes. It pains her that she’s missed half the day already, but getting to sleep in for once is still nice. 

She rolls out of bed and stretches out her arms before going over to the kitchen to get some coffee and Pop Tarts in her system. 

After she’s done with breakfast (or lunch, in this case), Rory changes out of her pajamas and decides to watch some TV, since rare are the times where she gets to just sit back on the couch _ and _ have full control over the remote simultaneously. 

Not much time passes when there’s a knock on the door. Rory pauses the episode of _ Criminal Minds _she’s watching, and walks to the front door to get it. 

Much to her surprise, Jess is standing there. “Hey, what are you doing here?” She asks, with the slight raise of an eyebrow. 

“Uh, long story short, I need your help” He says, and before Rory can ask him to elaborate, Doula pushes past him and into the house without a word. 

“Okay, what was that about?” 

“She’s pissed off because Liz was supposed to help her get ready for and then take her to her friend’s birthday party later today” Jess explains in a hushed tone as he comes in, closing the door behind him. “But one of the fire breathers at the Renaissance Fair apparently scorched himself, and Liz and TJ had to go down to Jersey to visit him in the hospital, which means I got stuck with babysitting duty.” 

“Ah” Rory nods slowly, folding her arms over her chest. “So what’s the big crisis here? That she’s in a bad mood?” 

“No, she still needs help getting ready, and since you’re a girl—” 

“Thanks for noticing.” 

“…and I, according to her, am of no help whatsoever” He continues, “I thought maybe you could help her solve the great outfit crisis of twenty-nineteen.” 

Rory purses her lips, unsure if she’ll be able to be of any help at all (Her mother has always been better at this kind of thing), but seeing the borderline desperate look on Jess’ face, she agrees to, at the very least, try. 

“Okay” She says, still a bit hesitant. 

“Really?” Jess sighs in relief, then plants a kiss on the top of her head. “Mwah! Thank you. You’re the best.” 

“Thank me later” Rory muses, glancing over at the living room. “I can’t promise I’ll be able to do much.” 

“Still, my former statement stands.” He says, giving her a quick tap on the shoulder before he goes into the living room. “Hey Doula, Rory said she can help you get ready. How’s that sound?” 

The girl takes off her headphones and turns to him (and Rory, who’s standing right next to him, with a slightly awkward smile on her face). “Whatever.” 

** 

“Okay, so show me what we can work with here” Rory says, and Doula shakes her backpack down, dropping a bunch of clothes on the bed. 

“I don’t know why we should even bother” She mutters as she crosses her arms. “All of these suck.”

Rory sorts through the pile of clothes on top of her bed, and picks out a navy blue dress. 

“This one” She hands the dress over to Doula and circles the bed, walking over to her closet. “Now, I know it may look like just a dress now…” Rory then takes a black leather jacket and a pair of boots of the same color, and gives it to her. “But if you pair it with this jacket, and these boots, it’s an outfit.” 

The girl blinks in surprise, and a small smile appears on her face. “How did you do this? You made it seem so easy.” 

“I won’t lie to you and tell you that this kind of fashion brain freeze ever really goes away, but you do learn how to work your way around that” Rory tells her, matching her smile. “Go try it on, and see how you like it. Bathroom’s right over there.” 

“Thanks, Rory” Doula replies, before practically skipping towards the bathroom. 

“How are we doing in here?” Jess asks, leaning against the bedroom’s doorframe, taking in the scene in front of him: A bunch of clothes scattered on top of Rory’s bed, and her closet doors wide open. 

“Good. I think we found an outfit, then I think I’m going to help her do her hair” She replies, unable to contain the excitement on her face. As it turns out, playing dress-up is a lot more fun that she remembered. 

“I knew you were the right woman for the job” He says, a smirk on his face. 

“So? How do I look?” Doula emerges from the bathroom and goes into Rory’s room, doing a spin so she and Jess can take a good look at the outfit. 

“You look _ so _ beautiful!” Rory coos. “See? I told you this would work. Doesn’t she look great, Jess?” 

“She sure does” He agrees easily, and his sister beams. 

“Thank you, guys” Doula says. “Now could you maybe help me with my hair? Now that I have bangs, I never know what to do with it.” 

“Lucky for you, I had bangs for _ years, _so I can definitely help you with that” Rory tells her. “You can sit over there by the dresser. I’ll go to the bathroom upstairs to get the curling iron and the blow dryer.” 

The girl nods and does as asked. She makes a face when she looks at her reflection in the mirror, which makes Jess stifle a laugh, before Rory pushes him out of the room. 

“Hey, you’re not too bad at this, Gilmore” He says to her as they walk down the hall. 

“I guess not” She retorts with a half-shrug before she goes up the stairs, feeling quite pleased with herself. 

It’s nice, getting to do this. It almost makes her wonder what it would be like, raising a girl. It’s best not to dwell on that, though, she decides. But the thought still remains in the back of her mind. 

A while later, Rory stands behind Doula in front of the dresser, with her hair done and some lip gloss on, she looks even prettier. 

Rory can definitely see some of Jess in his sister. Even though Doula has very light brown hair, almost blonde, she still has Jess’ eyes. She shares a fair resemblance with her mother, and thankfully, there’s not a lot of TJ in the mix, but yeah. She is, without a doubt, Jess’ sister. 

“You’re a miracle worker” Doula tells Rory, before pulling her into an unexpected hug. “Thank you so much.” 

“Of course, sweetheart” She grins as they pull away. 

“Hey, we should get going” Jess says as enters the room. “Don’t wanna be late for Julia’s party.” 

Doula glares at him. “It’s _ Jennifer _. I’ve told you like a million times!” 

“Jeez, relax” He raises his hands in mock-surrender. “But hurry, we don’t want to keep _ Jennifer _ waiting.” 

“I don’t know how you put up with him” Doula mutters, shaking her head then turns to her brother. “Go wait in the car, we’ll be right there.” 

Jess gasps in offense. “I heard that!” 

“We?” Rory checks, raising an eyebrow at her. 

“Yeah, I mean, just in case Jess doesn’t know how to use a GPS” The girl says, shooting a pointed look at her brother. 

“Again, I am right here!” He half-protests, then raises a finger at Doula. “Keep that up, and you’re _ walking _ to Joanna’s party.” 

“_ Jennifer _” His sister corrects him again through gritted teeth, then puts on an innocent smile. “And okay, I’ll stop.” 

“We should get going, then” Rory says, putting on the coat that was draped over her swivel chair. 

“Thank you!” Jess exclaims, oh-so-dramatically, raising his hands in exasperation before he disappears into the hallway. 

Doula just rolls her eyes at that, which makes Rory laugh. 

“You’re pretty lucky to have him, though, you know.” She tells Doula, who huffs gently, then spares a slight smile as she fidgets with the sleeves on her jacket. 

“Yeah, I know.” 

** 

The waiting room at the adoption agency has its walls filled with colorful drawings and a large bulletin board with pictures of children who have been adopted with their new families. The place has a warm feeling to it, which helps with the nerves, but doesn’t completely make them go away. 

“Hey, you okay?” Lorelai checks, glancing at the leg Luke’s been bouncing nervously for the past fifteen minutes. 

“Yeah, I’m fine” Luke assures her, taking one of her hands into his own. “It’s just… this is real. It’s really happening.” 

“Yeah” She lets out a sigh, stroking the back of his hand with her thumb. “This is definitely one of the big moments. But you still want this, right?” 

He smiles at her. “Definitely. You?” 

Lorelai grins back. “Yes, definitely.” 

** 

After dropping Doula off at her friend’s house, Jess and Rory stop by a drive-thru to get burgers and fries. 

“So, your sister is pretty cool” Rory says, her mouth still a bit full. “I had never spent a lot of time with her before today, but I’m glad I got to.” 

“Eh, she’s alright” He half-shrugs, taking one of her fries and Rory smacks him on the arm, a smirk tugging on her lips. “Also, surprisingly well-adjusted, considering she’s being raised by Liz and TJ.” 

That makes her laugh. “True” Rory nods. “I like how you two get along. I mean, I never really had that with Gigi.” 

“Think your dad’s to blame on that one” Jess points out. 

“I am, too, kind of” She says. “I never really tried to bond with her, not enough, anyway.” 

He just nods, then goes silent for a moment. “I just—” Jess tries, pressing his lips together. “I want her to have someone to… count on, y’know? Because I never… had that. Not really.” 

Jess doesn’t talk about his childhood or his life growing up much, but every time he shares something from that part of his life, Rory’s heart breaks for him a little bit more. 

In all the years they’ve known each other, all she knows are small details, but by piecing those together, she can get a picture in her head, even if it makes her stomach turn. Her active imagination is to blame for that. 

Rory smiles at him kindly. “You truly are one of the good ones, Jess Mariano” She says, pressing a hand to his arm. “You know that, right?” 

He spares a weak, yet genuine smile. “Thank you.” 

“I really did have fun today” Rory admits as she pops another fry into her mouth. “Heh. This makes me think about how I was _ so _ certain I was going to have a girl before Richie was born. I spent so much time just imagining how great it would be to raise a girl, that I almost forgot that there was a fifty-percent chance that I would have a boy instead. And we all know how that turned out.” 

Jess half-chuckles, then turns to her with a more serious look on his face. “Do you think you’ll ever want another kid?” He asks, and after mulling over the question, Rory nods. 

“I think so” She says, “If I find the right person, that is. If not, I’m perfectly happy with the kid I do have. What about you?” 

“What about me?” Jess frowns. 

“Do you think you’ll ever want kids?” 

“Maybe” He responds, putting a hand over his knee. “If I find the right person.”

The way Jess echoes her words brings a slight smile to Rory’s face. 

“I’m going to throw these away” Jess says, grabbing their empty soda cups as he gestures over at a trash can across the street from where they’re parked at. 

“Okay.” 

When he leaves the car, Rory accidentally opens the glove compartment. She tries to close it back, but something inside catches her eye. A new copy of _ Howl _, that by the looks of it, hasn’t even been read yet. 

Rory flips through the pages, and the book feels empty without Jess’ handwriting all over the pages. _ I just wanted to put some notes in the margins for you _, his words come back to her in a flash, and she can remember that one night so clearly, even though it still feels like a lifetime and a half ago. 

The nostalgia gets the best of her, so Rory sneaks the small book into one of her coat pockets, and manages to close the glove compartment before Jess gets back to the car. 

“What are you smiling at?” He raises a brow at her as he puts his seatbelt on. 

“Oh, nothing” Rory shrugs. “Just… not a bad day, huh?” 

He smirks. “No, not a bad day at all.” 

** 

“So” Lorelai breathes, keeping her hand steady on the wheel. “That was… something.” 

“Yep” Her husband nods. “I never really thought about… adopting an older kid. It does make sense, considering our age but—” 

“It’s not exactly what we had in mind” She says, then pauses for a moment, pursing her lips. “Do you still want to do this?” 

Luke doesn’t even have to stop to think. “Yeah, I do.” He spares a weak smile. “You?” 

“Yes” Lorelai responds with a grin. “I mean, I know I said I wanted a baby, but… I don’t know. I’m really leaning into the idea of an older kid.” 

“Then… what now?” 

“Now, we wait” She sighs. “Anne said she would let us know as soon as she has any news, so I guess there’s not much else we can do right now.”

“Lorelai?” Luke calls after a beat, a bit hesitantly. 

“Yeah?” 

“I told myself I wasn’t going to get involved in this, but don’t you think it’s time you and Rory make up?” 

His wife goes silent for a moment, then nods. “I know. It just kills me that she felt like she couldn’t come to me with this, although…” 

“Although what?” 

“Although I understand why she didn’t” Lorelai admits, huffing gently. “I probably would’ve found a way to give Logan a piece of my mind, even if I had to fly to London to do it, and I guess Rory knew that.” 

“She’s pretty down about this, too” Luke tells her. “If you just talk it out, I’m sure everything will be good between the two of you again.” 

She lets out a deep sigh. “I hope so.”

Luke presses a hand to her thigh. “Let’s go home, then”. 

Lorelai grins in response, then turns on the ignition, ready to go back to the house and make things right with her daughter. 

** 

After Jess drops her off at the house, Rory does some work and then goes to the local daycare to pick Richie up. 

When they get home, she makes him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with apple juice, then sits down next to him on the couch with a book on her lap, while he watches his cartoons. 

A while later, she hears keys jingling at the front door, and Luke and Lorelai enter the house. “Hey, Rory, can we talk?” Her mother calls, making Rory look up from her book, blinking in surprise. 

“Uh, sure” She replies as she gets up. They then move into her room to talk. 

Lorelai sits down on the bed, fidgeting with her hands, and looks up at her daughter, who’s standing by the door with her hands in her pockets. “I’m sorry” They say in unison, finally breaking the silence, then the two laugh. 

Rory goes over to give her mother a hug, and Lorelai holds her tight. “Sorry I was horrible and avoided you, I just… I needed time.” She says as they pull away, squeezing one of Rory’s hands gently. 

“You weren’t horrible” Rory tells her. “Not talking to you, however…” 

Lorelai manages a weak smile. “Same here.” 

“But… we’re good, right?” The daughter checks, sitting down next to her on the bed cross-legged. 

“Almost. As soon you tell me exactly what’s going on with Logan, then we will be.” 

Rory lets out a deep sigh. “Oh, boy. Where to begin?” 

Then she tells her mother everything — from the day Logan came back to the meeting they had with the custody counselor, and Lorelai tries her best to keep her commentary to herself. 

“I can’t believe you went through all that by yourself” Lorelai says, and Rory shakes her head, smiling. 

“Well, I wasn’t exactly… _alone_. Jess helped a lot. And Paris.” 

“Jess?” Lorelai raises an eyebrow at her. 

“Yeah, he’s been pretty great throughout all this” Rory replies simply. “He’s a good friend.” 

Lorelai wants to question that definition, but refrains from doing so. “I’m glad you have someone like that in your corner” She says instead. 

“Yeah, me too.” 

“Now that I’m caught up on the whole custody situation, I think it’s time I tell you something. But, it is pretty big, so brace yourself.” 

Rory frowns. “Okay, I’m officially scared now. What’s up?” 

“Luke and I… are looking to adopt” Lorelai tells her, and Rory gapes at her. 

“What? Really?” 

“Yeah” She nods. “We had discussed it before but he only made up his my mind a couple of days ago, and today, we had a meeting at the adoption agency.” 

Rory exhales sharply, trying to get herself to get past the shock that comes with the news. “And what happened there?” 

“Well, the social worker we met with, Anne, told us that maybe we should look into adopting an older child, instead of a baby, because of our age and a lot of other things, and we’re actually considering it.” 

“That’s great, Mom” Rory tells her genuinely. “I think you’ll be great parents together, whether it is to a baby or a kid… You make an awesome team, no matter what.” 

“You really think so?” 

“Of course! No doubt about it.” 

Lorelai sighs in relief. “Good. I was afraid you were going to think this was weird or—” 

“It’s unusual, for sure, but not in a bad way. I mean, I never thought I’d get a new sibling at thirty-five but… I’m definitely not complaining.” 

“You have no idea how much that means to me” Her mother says, taking one of Rory’s hands into both of hers. “You know there is no one’s opinion I care about more than yours, right?” 

“I know. You, too.” 

Before either of them can say anything else, Rory’s phone starts to buzz on her nightstand. She reaches for it, and is surprised to see her grandmother’s name on the screen. “It’s… grandma.” 

“Answer it. Take advantage of this forgiving mood we’re in, and work things out with her.” 

“I will” Rory half-smiles, then puts the phone to her ear. “Hello? Hi, Grandma.” 

Lorelai taps her on the shoulder and leaves the room, closing the door behind her. She goes over to the living room, and plops down next to Luke on the couch. “So?” He asks, looking at her expectantly. 

“We’re good” She replies, unable to contain the smile on her face. 

Luke wraps an arm around her, pulling her closer, then kisses the top of her head. “I’m glad you were able to work things out.” 

She hums into his shoulder, closing her eyes for a moment. “Me, too.” 

** 

Later in the evening, Jess finally gets around to putting his books on a shelf, when his phone starts to ring in his pocket back pocket. It’s an unsaved number with a 212 area code calling. 

“Hello?” He answers, holding the phone between his ear and his shoulder. 

“_ Hey _ ” It’s Victoria, and hearing her voice after over a week of radio silence can’t help but catch him off-guard. “ _ Sorry to be calling like this, I— _” 

“Did you change your number?” 

“_ Yeah, I kinda had to. Long story. _” 

“Huh. So, why’d you call? Is everything okay?” 

“_ I wanted to talk to you _ ” She says quietly. “ _ In person. It doesn’t have to be right away, just as soon as you can, but I’ve had some time to think things over and I really think we should sit down and talk. _” 

Jess nods, even though she can’t see him. “What are you doing tonight?” 

“_ Tonight? Uh, nothing. Why? _” 

“Well, I can be in New York in two hours. Then we can talk.” 

“_ Jess, you don’t have to— _” 

“I want to.” 

“_ Okay _ ” Victoria relents. “ _ I’ll see you soon, then. _” 

“I’ll see you.” 

Jess hangs up, then puts his jacket back on before making his way down the stairs. He gets into his car, and goes down I-95, headed to New York, with a Fleetwood Mac album playing on the speakers. 

It takes him exactly two hours and fifteen minutes to get to Victoria’s building in the Upper West Side. He greets the doorman, who lets him in as usual, then gets on the elevator, heading up to the penthouse. 

He hops off the elevator and walks down the hall till he’s standing in front of her door, which swings open before he can even knock. 

Victoria stares at him for a moment, taking in the beard and the shorter hair, both of which look _ really _ good on him, then forces herself to try and say something. “Hi” Is all she can come up with. 

“Hi” Jess says back, sounding a little winded. 

She opens her mouth to say something, but it completely slips her mind when he leans in and kisses her, cupping her face with both of his hands. Victoria pulls him into the apartment by his shirt, and closes the door behind them. 

“Wait, wait” She backs away for a second. “What are we doing? We’re… broken up, we—” 

“Does that really matter?” 

Victoria bites her lower lip, mulling over his question, then shakes her head. “You know what? The talk can wait.” She decides, before jumping into his arms and pressing her lips against his again. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so...... that happened. see you all in the next one! xo


	13. The One With Game Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jess and Victoria discuss the future of their relationship. Rory organizes a game night to lift everyone's spirits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone!! hope you're all doing well, and ready for an update! i hope i didn't leave you hanging for too long after the last chapter hehe  
i think this is a fun one, and we are quickly approaching some of the big moments, so stay tuned....  
thank you again for all your kudos and comments, they mean a lot!  
happy reading, and let me know what you think!!

Victoria and Jess are lying in her bed, with their eyes closed, even though they’re both wide awake. Each of them is facing one side of the room, and there’s a considerable space between them. 

She opens her eyes, and glances over at him over her shoulder, before quickly turning away. Not too soon afterwards, Jess does the same. 

Some time passes, till Victoria can’t take it anymore, so she rolls over to face Jess. “Hey” She calls in a whisper, giving his shoulder a slight push. 

He then turns around, putting on a weak smile. “Hi” Jess says before pressing his lips together. “How’d you sleep?” 

“Fine” She says, resting her head on one of her hands. “You?” 

“Not bad” He replies, and they fall silent again. 

Victoria bites her lower lip, steeling herself before she can say what she’s been meaning to from the moment she woke up. “We need to talk” She tells him, trying to sound as assertive as she can first thing in the morning. 

Jess nods in agreement. “Yeah, we do.” 

“So, about last night…” Victoria begins, then takes a deep breath. “I think we made a mistake. Don’t get me wrong, it was… great. Some of your best work, really, but—” 

This odd feeling of relief washes over him, replacing the guilt that had settled in his gut not long after he impulsively kissed her the night before. 

The more rational and mature side of him immediately knew it was wrong, and bordering on stupid, but the more reckless side of him took over, making him act before actually thinking it through. 

Knowing that Victoria feels the same way, however, helps ease his mind a little. Emphasis on “a little”. 

“It was a mistake” He finishes her sentence for her, letting out a sigh. 

“When I called you last night, what happened… it’s not even close to what I had in mind” She says as they both sit up. “I’ve had some time to think about… everything and that’s why I wanted to see you.” 

“I know” Jess responds, bowing his head a little. “I don’t think we can avoid having this conversation this much longer.” 

“Well, we _could _…” Victoria trails off, and the not-so-subtle suggestiveness in her voice brings a slight smirk to his face. “But I think that for both of our sakes, it’s best if we just rip the band-aid off.”

“Okay” He says with a nod. 

She fidgets with her hands nervously, struggling to find the right words to say. “I don’t think we should be together anymore” Victoria tells him, her voice beginning to break. 

_ God, why is this so hard? _She thinks to herself, and swallows, trying to regain some of her composure before continuing. “Because… you deserve to be with someone who’s right for you. And as much as I wish I was that person, I’m not.” 

Few have been the moments where Jess didn’t know exactly what to say, and this is one of them. “How long…” He tries, “How long have you felt like this?” 

Victoria inhales deeply again. “I don’t know exactly when I realized it” She admits, forcing herself to look at him. “But this time apart helped me… come to terms with this and… to finally be able to let you off the hook.” 

“Where is this coming from?” Jess asks, even though, deep down, he knows the answer. 

“Come on, Jess” Victoria manages a weak smile, sniffling. “Do I even have to say it?” 

He shakes his head. “I guess not.” 

“I’ve seen the way you look at her” She says, “And although you may be too scared or too stubborn to admit it to yourself, it always comes back to the two of you for a reason.” 

Jess pauses for a second. “That doesn’t mean anything. We… we tried, and it just wasn’t meant to be, if there even is such a thing.” 

“You tried _ once_.” Victoria reminds him, “People hardly ever get it right on the first try. You’re a writer, for God’s sake! Which means you probably know that better than anyone.” 

“The moment’s passed” He tells her simply. “Nothing either of us can do about that.” 

She tries her best not to roll her eyes at him. “That is the furthest thing from the truth.” 

“Has anyone ever told you just how stubborn you are?” 

Victoria puts on an innocent smile. “Nope. First time I’ve heard that.” 

Jess lets out a soft chuckle, then stares at her for a second. “You know I do care about you a lot, right?” He checks, afraid that even if unintentionally, he made her feel like she didn’t matter to him, when in fact, she does and probably always will.

“I never doubted that”.

“This is way harder than I thought it would be” He says, exhaling gently. 

“Yeah, it is” Victoria agrees. “But I think we’re doing okay. Most breakups are messy and awful, so I’m glad we could skip that.” 

Jess smiles. “Me, too.” 

“Just don’t think this means I’m out of your life or anything” She tells him, “I still intend on getting that book of yours published.” 

“Good, because I don’t want anyone else as my editor.” He retorts, making her smile. 

“So… what do we do now?” Victoria asks with a grimace. “I’ve never had a mutual breakup before.” 

“Huh, guess that makes me your first” Jess teases, his eyebrows shooting up, and she gapes at him before grabbing a pillow to hit him with. 

“Shut up!” She half-protests, chuckling.

“Okay, sorry” He raises his hands in mock-surrender, then his expression changes, turning a little more serious. “I _ am _ going to miss you.” 

“I’m going to miss you too” Victoria says, taking his hand into her own for a second. “But hey, who says we can’t still be friends?” 

“Hm, I don’t think there are any rules against that.” 

“Just friends, though” She clarifies, “_ No _ benefits.” 

“That’s fine with me” He half-chuckles, then lets out a sigh. “Uh, I think I should probably get going.” 

“Yeah.” 

“I just realized, I’ve never had a mutual breakup either” Jess says as he climbs out of the bed, putting his pants back on. 

“Really?” Victoria raises an eyebrow at him. “For whatever it’s worth, I’m glad we were each other’s firsts.” 

That makes him laugh. “Feeling’s mutual.” 

When he reaches for his shirt on the floor, she calls after him. “Hey, Jess?” 

“Yeah?” 

“I’ll be rooting for you” She says simply, and it doesn’t take him long to understand what she means by that. 

“Thanks” He replies, before giving her a kiss on the cheek. “See you around, Harper.” 

Victoria smiles. “Bye, Mariano.”

After he leaves the room, she allows herself to let her guard down for a moment, and she can’t keep from crying much longer. 

Victoria still knows this was the right thing to do, though, even if it hurts. 

She just hopes that someday, those two will finally wake up, and see what everyone else sees. 

** 

The following week goes by fast. Jess hasn’t talked to Victoria ever since he left her apartment that morning, but he should email her soon enough with the next five chapters of his book, amounting to a total of fifteen now. 

The thing is, he hasn’t been able to get past the fifteenth chapter. It feels more personal than the others, and he could draw something from his own experience (_ “Write what you know” _ and all that), but having to dredge up the past… easier said than done. 

Jess still hasn’t mentioned the breakup to anyone other than Chris and Matthew when he spoke to them briefly in the past weekend.

Luke definitely had questions when he came back from New York wearing the same clothes from the day before, but didn’t really push for details, much to Jess’ relief. 

What worried him, however, was having to see Rory, because she would probably be able to tell that something had happened. But as it turns out, she was too distracted to notice anything.

Work and helping Alex with her piece for the contest have been taking up a lot of her time, and that’s pretty much all they’ve talked about in the last few days, meaning there hasn’t been any discussions about the twists and turns in his so-called love life, which is pretty high on the list of the last things he needs right now. 

Jess hasn’t been able to stop playing his conversation with Victoria that morning in his mind — especially the things she said about him… and Rory —, even if he’s tried his best not to. 

He finds himself lying awake at night, trying to rationalize his feelings and convince himself that he was right when he said that the moment’s passed. 

They never got the timing right, it’s simple as that. 

Except it isn’t that simple at all. 

** 

“Hello? Earth to Jess!” Rory calls, waving a hand in front of his face and he blinks as though as he’s just snapped out of a trance. 

“Sorry” He says as he turns his attention back to her. “What were you saying?” 

“Are you okay?” She checks with a slight raise of her eyebrows. “You seem… distracted.” 

“I’m fine” Jess assures her. “Just… thinking.” 

“Thinking about what?” 

“The book” He replies, even if, in reality, that’s only a small part of what’s been on his mind lately. “Just haven’t been able to get past this one part, which is far from ideal, but it happens.” 

“Why didn’t you say something?” Rory asks, “I’ve just been… blabbing about work and the contest non-stop these last few days, when you’re clearly going through a thing. _ God _, I’m a terrible friend.” 

Her rambling brings a slight smile to his face. “You are _ not _ a terrible friend” Jess tells her, “I didn’t think it was worth mentioning because it’s really not that big a deal. I promise.” 

“Still…” She muses, looking down at what’s left of the scrambled eggs in her plate. “Is there anything I can do to help? Even if I’m still completely in the dark on all things related to this book.” 

“Nah, it’s okay” He says. “I’ll figure it out eventually. This is most likely just a rut, and that’s normal. I’m not too worried about it.” 

“Well, just know that this a long-standing offer” Rory tells him. “All you have to do is say the word.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks, Ror.” 

“No problem” She grins before taking a sip of her coffee. Rory then glances over at her wristwatch, and realizes she should probably get going. “Hey, I have to go, but I’ll see you later, okay?” 

“Okay. I’ll see you.” 

Rory puts her coat back on and straps her bag to her shoulder. “And you’re one hundred percent sure you’re fine?” She checks again for good measure. “Because if you’re not—” 

“Yes, Rory, I’m fine” Jess tries not to roll his eyes at her. “Don’t worry.” 

“You do know that telling me not to worry only makes me worry more, right?” 

“If anything _ is _ wrong, you’ll be the first to know” He assures her. 

“Okay” She relents, dropping her hands to her sides. “I’ll hold you to that.” 

“Not a problem.” 

Rory just nods and waves at him before leaving the diner. Jess takes their plates to the kitchen, and loads the dishwasher, before pushing past the curtain to go back upstairs. 

He sits down on the couch and opens his laptop, hoping that if he stares at the screen enough, inspiration will finally strike. But, unsurprisingly, it doesn’t. 

**

Rory steps out of her car and Andrew catches up with her as they head towards the school building. 

“Hey” He greets her, then hands her a cup of hot coffee. “Black coffee, two packets of sugar. Did I get that right?” 

“Yes, thank you” She flashes him a grateful smile as he accepts the coffee, taking a sip. “You know, if you keep bringing me coffee in the morning, I might get spoiled.” 

“Nothing wrong with being a little spoiled” Andrew smiles, then suddenly comes to a stop before they walk in. “Um, listen, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” 

Rory raises an eyebrow at him. “And what’s that?” 

“Well, I’ll just get it out there: I like you” He says after letting out a deep breath. “So if you even remotely tolerate me and are in any way interested, I would like to take you to dinner sometime.” 

“Dinner? Like a date?” She checks, biting back a smile. 

“It would be something like a date, yes. Unless you don’t want it to be, then it could just be a meal. Between colleagues who are… friendly.” 

Rory presses her lips together as she considers his ask, then nods. “Okay, yeah. I’ll go to dinner with you.” 

Before Andrew can say anything else, Annabeth, Francine Jarvis’ sister, comes up to them. 

“Morning, Andrew. I mean, Mr. Reid” The redhead flashes him a tight smile, then turns to Rory. “Good morning, Ms. Gilmore.” 

“Morning, Annabeth” She replies with a slight nod as she takes another sip of her coffee. 

"Miss Jarvis, how can we help you?” Andrew asks, crossing his arms. 

“Well, as you know, the elections are just around the corner, and I was wondering if you could maybe endorse me as student body president.” 

Rory and Andrew share a slightly confused look. “Sorry, Ms. Jarvis, but I’m afraid teachers aren’t allowed to interfere with the student elections” He replies and the girl’s expression suddenly darkens. 

“Right” Annabeth huffs, tugging on her coat’s sleeves. “Thanks, anyway.” 

“Anytime.” 

“I’ll should go, bell’s about to ring” She says, “I’ll see you in class later, Ms. Gilmore. Mr. Reid.” Annabeth bows her head a little, then walks into the building. 

Andrew smacks his lips before turning to Rory. “So, about dinner…” 

“I’ll check my schedule and get back to you” She teases as they go inside. “Kidding. How does Saturday night sound?” 

“Saturday night’s perfect” He smirks. 

“Okay, then. Make the reservation and I’ll be there” Rory says, smiling back. 

“It’s a date.” Andrew nods, and waves at her before he has to walk the opposite way down the hallway. “I’ll see you soon.” 

Rory waves back, feeling her face warm up a little. “Bye.”

** 

Jess is lying on the couch, this close to falling asleep, when he hears someone knocking on his door. He groans, then, even it begrudgingly so, gets up to get it. 

When he opens it, Rory is standing there with a case of beer and a paper bag from Doose’s in her hands. “Hey!” She says brightly. “You’re coming with me. Come on, get your coat, and let’s go.” 

“Hey. Where are we going?” Jess frowns, stifling a yawn. 

“To the house” Rory replies with a half-shrug. “Logan has Richie tonight because he’s in Hartford for business, so I’m hosting a game night for the four of us, and you are the guest of honor, so I’m afraid I can’t take no for an answer.”

“A game night?” He makes a face. “Eh, I don’t know. I’m not really in the mood to play games.” 

“Well, that’s too bad, because you’re coming” She tells him firmly. “Not even if I have to drag you out of the apartment myself.” 

“Fine” He concedes with a huff, and Rory smiles. “Just let me get my jacket.” 

Jess puts on his coat and then follows her down the stairs. Caesar and the new employee, Sam — this freckled sixteen-year-old that Luke hired as a favor to one of guys he’s friends with at the police station — seem to be handling themselves, so he bids them goodbye and takes the case of beer from Rory’s hand as they leave the diner. 

The walk back to the house is fairly quick, and when they go in, Jess finds Lorelai and Luke sitting on the couch, staring at Lorelai’s cellphone on the coffee table.

“What’s up with them?” He asks Rory, and she shakes her head with an exasperated sigh. 

“They’re waiting for a call from the adoption agency” She explains, glancing over at her mother and Luke. “They’ve been sitting like that for like an hour. It’s concerning, really.” 

Jess exhales sharply. “I can see that.” 

“Hey, guys” Rory approaches them, setting the paper bag on the coffee table before she grabs Lorelai’s phone. “I’m going to take this, because on game night, this is a _ phone-free zone. _” 

“That is ridiculous!” Lorelai protests as she unsuccessfully tries to take her phone back. “You can’t confiscate our phones, that’s… against the rules.” 

The daughter furrows a brow at her. “What rules?” 

“The... whatever” Lorelai huffs, crossing her arms. “But you better not put it on silent, if we miss Anne’s call—” 

“You won’t!” Rory assures her, then turns to Luke. “Now, you too. Hand over your phone.” 

“Take it” Luke grumbles after he reaches for his phone in his pocket and hands it over to her. 

Lorelai scowls at her, and Rory smirks smugly in return before moving over to collect Jess’ phone. “Phone-free zone, buddy” She says, and albeit reluctantly, he gives it to her. 

“Okay, so I’m going to take these to an undisclosed location now” Rory tells the others before disappearing into the hall. “Could anyone grab the board games from the closet? And the white board for charades?” She calls from afar. 

“I thought the _hostess_ was supposed to do that!” Lorelai yells back. 

“I got it” Jess responds, opening the door to the closet by the stairs. 

He reaches for a stack of board games on the top shelf, and then looks for the white board, that he finds hidden behind a box of Christmas decorations. 

“You got them?” Rory checks as she emerges from her room, and Jess nods. 

“Okay, let’s game night begin!” She announces, and receives a half-hearted cheer in response. 

“Yay…” Lorelai feigns excitement, giving her daughter the weakest possible thumbs up. 

“Hey!” Rory shoots Lorelai a warning glare, pointing a finger at her. 

“Jeez, fine” The older Gilmore girl raises her hands in mock-surrender, then clears her throat before flashing Rory a big smile. “Yay! Game night!” 

** 

After a long game of _ Monopoly _ (in which Lorelai is the winner), they move on to charades, Jess and Rory teaming up against Luke and Lorelai. 

“The category for this round is…” Jess then takes a card from the table. “Movies.”

“Movies?” Lorelai gasps oh-so-dramatically. “How are _ we _ supposed to compete? Luke hasn’t watched a movie since we had to go to the video store to rent ‘em!” 

“The cards have spoken, Mom” Rory tells her knowingly, and her mother sticks her tongue out at her. “It’s our turn, and Jess’ turn to draw, so let’s do this!”

He wordlessly takes another card from the stack dedicated to movies, then puts it back. Jess walks over to the board, and starts drawing. 

“That is a…” Rory frowns at the board, trying to figure out what it is Jess is trying to draw. “Marijuana leaf?” He then gestures to indicate there are two words. “Two words, first one is… High?” She guesses and he nods, before drawing two rings linked together. “High… marriage? I don’t—” 

“_ High Marriage _?” Lorelai snorts, quirking up a brow at her daughter. 

“Shut up, I’m thinking!” Rory protests before throwing a pillow at Lorelai, who laughs in response. 

“Clock’s ticking…” Her mother singsongs. 

“Uh, first word’s high… then we have rings… High…” Rory tries, then suddenly jumps out of her seat with a gasp. “_ High Fidelity _ ! Is it _ High Fidelity _?” 

“It’s _ High Fidelity _” Jess confirms, and the two high-five. 

“Okay, my turn” Lorelai gets up and takes a card from the pile, before putting it back. “This one’s easy, so pay attention, Luke.” She tells her husband, and he assents, taking a swig of his beer. 

She begins by drawing a girl with a crown — a princess — and then a woman with a veil — a bride. Jess and Rory share a look as they both know exactly what movie it is, but Luke is still clueless. 

“How can you not know this movie?” Lorelai protests. “It’s a classic! _ My name is Inigo— _” 

“No talking!” Rory admonishes, and her mother groans. 

“I don’t know, _ The Princess’ Wedding _?” Luke tries, and Rory can’t help but laugh at just how frustrated Lorelai looks. 

“Time’s up” Jess announces, pressing the button on the stopwatch, then turns to Luke. “It was _ The Princess Bride _, man. You’ve seriously never seen it?” 

“Ah! _ The Princess Bride _. That really is a good movie” His uncles realizes. “I wonder what Mandy Patinkin is up to nowadays. He seems like a cool guy.” 

“Unbelievable” Lorelai mutters, shaking her head as she sits back down on the couch. “Hey, how about a new game?” 

Rory rolls her eyes at her. “Oh, stop being such a sore loser!” 

“I– I’m not being a sore loser!” She insists. “I just… don’t like charades.” 

“That’s exactly what a sore loser would say” Jess points out, and Lorelai glares at him in turn, eliciting a soft chuckle from him. 

“Alright, I’m up next” Rory says, rubbing her hands over the fabric of her jeans before getting up. “Jess, we’re in this to win it, so get ready.”

He gives her a two-finger salute. “Yes, ma’am.” 

** 

“What should we play next?” Lorelai asks as she goes through the board games scattered on the floor. “We have _ Candy Land _ … _ Clue _ … ooh, _ Twister _!” 

“There is _ no _ way I’m playing _ Twister _” Luke says and receives an eye roll from his wife in response. 

“How about poker?” Jess suggests, grabbing the deck of cards from the coffee table. He spreads it out with one hand, then turns to Rory, his eyebrows shooting up. “Pick one.” 

“What did I say about magic tricks?” She gives him a mock-stern look, a smile tugging at her lips. “Give me that.” 

“You’re no fun” He says as she takes the cards away from him. “I need another beer.” Jess gets up from the couch and heads towards the kitchen. 

“Wait, me too” Rory says before following his lead. 

He sets the beers on the counter and opens them, handing one of the bottles to Rory and she gratefully accepts. Before they can go back to the living room, her phone chimes in the back pocket of her jeans. 

“What happened to the_ ‘phone-free zone’ _?” Jess gapes at Rory as she takes the phone out of her pocket, and she just shushes him in response. “Shame on you, Gilmore.” He shakes his head, with a slight smirk on his face. 

**Andrew — at 8:32 PM **

_ How does 7 o’clock at Carbone’s sound? _

Rory bites back a smile as she types up a quick response. 

**Rory — at 8:33 PM **

_ Perfect. _

“Did you say something?” She turns her attention back to Jess, who narrows his eyes at her ever-so-slightly. 

“Good news?” He asks, nudging her arm. 

“Sorry?” 

“Come on, it must’ve been a good text if it got you smiling like that.” 

“Oh” Rory grimaces. “It’s… nothing, um—” She tries, and hates just how flustered she sounds. “Andrew asked me out. On a date. And… that was him confirming… it.” 

“Andrew?” Jess frowns, then the night of the dance immediately comes back to him. Of course it’s _ that _ guy. “Huh.” 

“Yeah…” She says, rubbing her own arm a bit nervously. “It’s one date. I don’t even know if it’s going to amount to anything but… no harm in trying, right?” 

He manages a slight smirk. “Nope.” 

Before either of them can say anything else, Lorelai’s phone starts to ring in Rory’s bedroom, and she comes running at the sound of her ringtone, with Luke close behind. 

The call doesn’t take long, but it still leaves Lorelai ecstatic. “We’re going to meet with this kid next week, she’s eight and her name’s Ellie and if everything goes well… we might adopt her.” She tells Rory and Jess as she comes out of her daughter’s room, and they both grin widely at the news. 

“That is huge!” Rory squeals before pulling her mom into a tight hug. “See, I told you she would call!” 

“So, a kid, huh?” Jess raises an eyebrow at his uncle. “Guess someone’s going to be a _ daddy _ again.” 

“Nothing official yet, but…” 

“Still, I’m happy for you. For both of you” Jess tells Luke genuinely and he smiles in response, tapping him in the back. 

“Thanks, Jess. That means a lot.” 

“Is anyone else _ starving _?” Lorelai checks, about to dial the pizza place on her phone. “Even if not, I’m ordering pizza anyway.” 

“I could definitely eat” Rory nods, and surprisingly enough, Luke and Jess agree. All that playing must’ve made them hungry. 

Luke and Lorelai go back to the living room, and end up leaving Jess and Rory alone in the kitchen again. 

“Um, pretty cool, huh?” She says a bit awkwardly, trying to break the silence. “The kid… and everything.” 

“Yeah. Very cool.” Jess shrugs simply. 

There’s another beat of silence. “So, how are things going with you and Victoria?” Rory asks, and her question catches him completely off-guard. “I know you guys are taking a break but—” 

“Actually, we broke up” He replies, feeling like a weight’s been lifted from his shoulders. Her eyes suddenly widen. 

“What?” 

“Last week. I went to New York to see her and… we ended it.” 

“I had no idea” She says, running a hand over her hair. “I’m… I’m sorry.” 

“Thanks” Jess spares a weak smile, his eyes darting over to his shoes. “It’s okay, though.”

“Still sucks. I mean, you guys were together for what? Two years?” 

“Around that, yeah.” 

“I was about to say I’m sorry again, but I guess I’ve already said that” Rory shakes her head. “Well, if you feel like talking about it…” 

“Hm, I think I’ll pass” He responds, scrunching up his nose a little. 

“Okay” She just nods, smiling softly at him. “Will it make you feel better if I let you do a couple of magic tricks?” 

He fake-gasps. “Really?” 

“Yes. Just don’t pull anything out of my ear or nose that you wouldn’t normally find there.” 

That makes him laugh a little. “Noted.” 

** 

“Coffee?” Jess offers as Rory approaches the counter with a huff before perching on one of the stools. 

“Please” She replies, and he fills up a mug with hot coffee, sliding it over to her. 

“Something wrong?” He asks as she takes a sip of her drink. 

“You know how I’m looking for an apartment?” 

“Yeah. How’s that going?” 

Rory sighs in frustration. “Not well. I’ve looked at three apartments this morning. Three! And like five others over the weekend! At first, they are all seemingly nice, viable living spaces, till, of course, we get to the ‘but’.” 

“The what?” 

“The ‘but’. This one is a lovely two-bedroom, _ but _ the living room floor is uneven. This is one very well-located and under your price range _ but _there are mice living in the walls— You get the gist.” 

Jess winces slightly, then offers a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry. I hope you find a place soon. With no but’s.” 

“Me, too.” 

That’s when Taylor Doose leaves his table in the corner and walks up to them. “Rory, I couldn’t help but overhear—” 

“Of course you couldn’t” Jess all but snorts. 

“—that you are looking for a place to live” Taylor continues after shooting him a warning glare, and Jess raises his hands in mock-surrender before circling the counter to refill some cups with coffee. “As you may know, in the past few years, I’ve acquired quite a bit of property—” 

“Yeah, I know” Rory nods. “Luke even accused you of buying up the town.” 

“_Anyway _, I have this lovely apartment down on Peach for rent, and I was wondering if you’d like to take a look” He tells her, then pulls out his phone from one of the pockets in his cardigan. “Let me know what you think.” 

Rory takes the phone from his hands and scrolls through the pictures, and it does look like an extremely nice apartment, that so happens to be under her price range. “And there’s nothing wrong with it?” She checks, still a little skeptical. 

“Of course not!” Taylor assures her, sounding a bit offended. “Rory, you are like a daughter to everyone in this town, and as town selectman, I feel like that would make me something like—” 

“Like my… grandfather?” 

“Well, was going to say _father_, but I guess grandfather works too. My point being, would a grandfather offer his granddaughter an apartment that wasn’t in pristine condition?” 

“No?” 

“No! Exactly!” 

Rory takes a moment to consider his offer, and tries to list out the pros and the cons in her mind. 

**Pros: **_She wouldn’t live in her childhood bedroom anymore._ _Privacy. Not waking up to her mother singing to Shania Twain in the shower every other morning. _

**Cons: ** _ Making business with Taylor _ could _ backfire. _

And as it turns out, the pros happen to outweigh the cons… 

“Can you have someone show me the apartment now or—” 

“Nonsense!” Taylor exclaims. “I’ll show you it myself. Follow me.” 

“Oh, okay. Let me just get my purse.” 

_ What is happening? _Jess mouths from behind the counter, with a dishcloth over his shoulder. 

_ I don’t know. _She mouths back before following Taylor out of the diner. 

The apartment is pretty close to the square, so they get there in a little under five minutes. 

As she takes a look around, Rory begins to feel like this might be the one. No rats. No loud neighbors. Even the living room floor is even. 

“So, what do you think?” Taylor asks, looking at her expectantly. 

Rory inhales deeply, then extends a hand for him to shake with a smile. “I’ll take it.” 

**

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> see you all in the next one! xo


	14. The One Where Jess Can See Her Face

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jess has an important realization while Rory goes out on her first date with Andrew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone!! sorry it has been so long since the last update.... i had the worst case of writer's block, but, hopefully, that's gone now. this chapter isn't as long as i would've hoped, but i still hope you enjoy it!  
as always, thank you so much for reading and let me know what you think!! <3

It is the week before the Thanksgiving break and the day of Rory’s first date with Andrew.

She’s done her best not to overthink this, but it’s still hard not to be a little nervous. God, she can’t even remember the last time she went on a date… That’s how long it has been.

Lorelai tells her that it is just like riding a bike ⎯ and Rory sure hopes her mother is right. Andrew is really nice, and there’s definitely potential for this to be something good, so her only hope for tonight is that it doesn’t, for some reason, go catastrophically bad.

Rory is sitting in an empty classroom, looking through some of the essays her students wrote on _The Crucible_, when she hears a knock on the door. Rory turns and sees Alex leaning up against the doorframe. “Hey, is this a bad time?”

“Not at all” She gives her a warm smile. “Come in.”

Alex bows her head and enters the room, pulling up a chair so she can sit across the desk from Rory. “So, good news: I think I’m done with the piece for the contest” She tells her, unable to veil the excitement in her voice.

“That is _great_ news!” Rory exclaims. “I might be the teensiest bit biased, but I do think we have a winner here.”

A small smile appears on Alex’s face. “Well, we’ll see. I still have some editing to do over the break, so…”

“I mean, I could do that for you” Rory offers, “I wouldn’t want you to have to use your break to work on this. You should use this time to, you know, unwind. _Relax_.”

“God, you sound like my mother’s yoga instructor” The girl all but snorts. “Don’t worry about it, though. It’s not like I have anything better to do with my time.”

Rory furrows a brow at her. “You’re not spending Thanksgiving with your family?”

Alex clears her throat as she plays with the strap of her messenger bag. “Uh, my parents aren’t around. They travel a lot, even on holidays, so I don’t think they’re coming home for that. And since I refuse to go to my aunt’s house in Poughkeepsie, I’ll probably just order in Chinese and watch the Macy’s parade on TV.”

Before Rory can say anything, Alex cuts in. “_Anyway_, please don’t feel bad for me. Like, the whole ‘poor little rich girl’ thing, that’s not me. Plus, I don’t really care for Thanksgiving, so…”

“Okay, I won’t feel bad for you” Rory raises her hands in mock-surrender. “I will, however, invite you to this Thanksgiving dinner we’re having at my mother’s Inn. I know it’s weird, spending a holiday with your English teacher, who you barely like, but there will be a ton of great food and it could actually turn out to be fun.”

Alex spares a weak, yet genuine smile. “Thanks, I’ll… keep that in mind.”

“That’s good enough for me”.

“I think I should get going now” She says, getting up from her chair. “Have a nice break, Miss G.”

“You too” Rory replies. “And please consider the invite. I’d love to have you there.”

“I will” Alex nods as she heads towards the door, then raises a hand as to say goodbye. “I’ll... see you soon.”

“Bye, Alex.”

Rory really does hope Alex decides to come. No one should have to spend the holiday alone, especially not a seventeen-year-old kid.

**

“I can’t believe we’re not doing Friendsgiving this year” Matthew says, and Jess can almost see him shaking his head in disbelief. “Instead you’ll be in Stars Hollow, Chris and Jenna are going to San Francisco to see her folks and I…” Matt inhales deeply, then sighs. “I’m going to Pittsburgh to meet Benjamin’s parents.”

Jess fake-gasps. “Meeting the parents, huh? How official.” He teases, his eyebrows shooting up.

“Yeah, well…” His friend trails off. “But enough about me, how are you doing? Last I checked you were in bit of a rut, so did you work through that or…”

“Let’s see, I’ve written a total of ten words in the past two weeks, so I don’t think so. Other than that, I’m fine. Bored out of my mind in this place, but fine.”

“If it’s any consolation, things aren’t too exciting here either” Matthew scoffs. “All Chris and Jenna talk about is _babies_, man, non-stop. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for them, I really am, but I’ll be _this_ close to running my head through a wall at the mention of… fuckin’ water births one of these days.

Jess can’t help but laugh at that. “Jeez.”

“Exactly. That’s why I miss having you around. Only being friends with married people is the worst. Us singles have to band together, you know?”

“Uh, last I checked, only _one_ of us is single. The other one is going to good, old Pittsburgh to meet the boyfriend’s parents.”

“Oh, shut up, you know what I mean.”

“I know, I’m just giving you a hard time. I miss you too, buddy.”

“Yeah, okay” Matthew snorts. “So, tell me, how are we doing on the Rory front?”

Jess frowns. “What do you mean?”

His friend lets out an exasperated sigh. “Since you and Victoria split, I just figured it had something to do with you still having feelings for your high school sweetheart, even if you won’t admit it and I want to know how that’s working out for you.”

“You’re cracked” Jess retorts with a roll of his eyes. “I told you, Victoria and I… we wanted different things, and that’s why we broke up. That’s it.”

“Uh-huh” Matthew hums skeptically. “That means you and Rory won’t be riding off into the sunset together anytime soon, then?”

“That was never the plan, so I’m thinking _no_.”

“_Lame_.”

A knock on the door suddenly interrupts the conversation, and Luke comes in. “Hey, is this a bad time?” He checks, and Jess shakes his head then gestures at him to wait a second.

“Matt, I have to go. We will _not_ continue this later. Bye.” Jess says, and before his friend can protest, he hangs up.

“Sorry about that. What’s up?” Jess asks, turning to his uncle.

“I’m looking for this winter coat of mine, that used to belong to your grandfather, and I think it might be around here somewhere but since I have to go to Hartford to talk to my accountant, I was wondering if you could look for it for me?”

Jess nods slowly in turn, then narrows his eyes at Luke. “And you’re just assuming I don’t have any other plans today?”

Luke raises an eyebrow. “Well… do you?”

A slight smirk appears on his nephew’s face. “Nope.”

“Does this mean you’ll look for it?”

“Sure. Just tell me what I’m looking for. ‘Winter coat’ is not exactly specific.”

“Oh, I don’t know” Luke scrunches up his nose a little, “It’s a coat. It’s… big, and blue. A kind of navy blue. You’ll know when you see it.”

“A big, blue winter coat. Got it.”

His uncle refrains from rolling his eyes at him. “Thanks, Jess.” He nods, sparing a small smile before he leaves the apartment.

Jess huffs, then rolls out of the couch. At least he has some kind of plans now.

He walks over to the closet, where he finds a series of boxes, piled on top of one another. Guess Lorelai isn’t the only one who’s a hoarder. Jess takes a couple out, and rips the tape off of them, having to sort through the items inside to see what he can find, considering none of them are labeled.

In one of the boxes, there are photo albums, old CDs (ones that make Jess seriously question Luke’s taste in music, even more so than usual) and some books, that are so dusty that they make him sneeze repeatedly.

After he dusts them off a little, Jess can finally take an actual look at the titles. They range from _You’re Not Alone_ to _A Complete Guide on Finding Love._ He shakes his head, letting out a weak laugh. Jess flips through the pages, thinking back to when he read them, back to when he was still looking for reciprocation.

_You know we’re supposed to be together._ His own words echo in the back of his mind. _I knew it the first time I saw you two years ago, and you know it, too. _

Jess lets out a deep breath. He’s not one to dwell on the past, but if he could, somehow, go back… There’s so much he didn’t say, so much he should’ve apologized for.

This is not the time for this, he decides. It’s too early and he is far too sober to think about what might have been.

Along with the self-help books, Jess finds the tapes that came with them. His curiosity gets the best of him, so he goes back into the closet to look for Luke’s old cassette player.

He eventually finds it and sets it on the kitchen table. Jess presses the eject button, then inserts the tape in and closes the door. He presses play and without any kind of warning, a voice yells out “_LOVE!_”, making Jess jump back a little.

“Jesus” He hisses, putting a hand to his chest.

“_You want it? You can have it._” The narrator continues, “_And not compromised, stifling, soul-killing love, but open, honest, life affirming love. But how do you get it? How do you get this love?”_

“Gee, I don’t know, but I have a feeling _you’re_ gonna tell me.”

“_It’s going to take work, it’s going to take introspection_⎯”

“Get to the point already” Jess mutters, then pushes the fast-forward button for a few seconds, before releasing it.

The recording continues: “_…I had a friend, let’s call him Phillip, who couldn’t make up his mind amongst three different women that he liked. I developed a test for him… and for you.”_

“Oh, great.”

“_Whose phone calls or visits are never unwanted or too long? Do you see her face? Who would you most like to have in your life to ward off moments of loneliness? Do you see her face?” _

Jess pauses for a moment, then sits down, still listening closely to the tape. “_When you travel, who you make your travels more enjoyable? Do you see her face? When you’re in pain, who would you most like to comfort you? Do you see her face?_”

“_When something wonderful happens in your life… who do you want to share the news with?_ _Do you see her face? Whose face appears to you, my friend? Whose face?”_

Jess stops the tape, and leans back in his chair, running a hand over his chin.

He does see her face.

**

When Rory arrives at the restaurant, Andrew is already at the table, waiting for her. She smooths the fabric on her dress and smiles at him when he sees her, and he smiles back.

“Hey” Rory says as she sits down, “This place is beautiful. I can’t believe I had never been here before.”

“Oh, good, I’m not alone, then” Andrew half-chuckles. “A friend recommended this place to me, and I’m glad I could trust him on that one.”

“Your friend clearly has good taste.”

“That he does” He nods. “So, we should probably order. Although, I’ve skimmed through the menu and everything sounds delicious.”

Rory grabs one of the menus and takes a look at the listings. “Mm, you’re right. God, just reading these is making my mouth water a little.”

“Maybe we should go with the special. I mean, it must be the special for a reason, right?”

“I like the way you think” She tells him, the corners of her mouth quirking up. “The special it is.”

One of the waiters comes up to them and they place their orders.

Rory looks around at the restaurant. There are candles lit in all of the tables, and there is a musician on the small stage, strumming his guitar and serenading the crowd with a song in Italian. Now Rory doesn’t speak Italian, but it does sound awfully romantic.

Everything about the evening is _so_ nice. Talking to Andrew is easy, uncomplicated, which makes her nerves go away soon enough.

Their food arrives, and it’s even better than it sounded on the menu, so much that Rory has to pace herself not to eat it all too fast.

They joke around and talk, and it’s really nice. _Just_ nice and that makes Rory feel like… something’s missing. A _spark_, so to speak.

It’s probably too early to judge, though. They’ve only been out on one date (that’s still ongoing) and she does enjoy being around Andrew, a lot, but… What if whatever was supposed to be there, isn’t?

**

Jess paces around the apartment, and he will probably wear out the wood on the floorboards if he keeps that up any longer, but what else is he supposed to do?

The tape doesn’t tell him what to do after he comes to terms with how he feels. It simply skips straight to another chapter, one on self-improvement and actualization, and he’s already worked on that plenty over the years, so it’s not exactly useful in this particular situation.

It’s not like he can… march over to Rory’s apartment and declare his love for her. There are so many things to take into consideration, and so much at stake -- the main thing being their friendship, which they have cultivated and nourished for so many years and⎯

Great, now the stupid self-help tape also has _him_ using these ridiculous plant metaphors.

Maybe he should just go see her and see how it will be like to be around her, now that he knows he can’t keep denying how he feels, and that everything everyone had said about him and them was right.

Yeah, that sounds like something resembling a plan.

Jess grabs his jacket and goes down the stairs. The diner is already closed, so he locks up and makes his way through the town square, headed in the direction of Rory’s apartment building.

When he gets there, however, he sees her. She’s standing outside with… this guy. Jess has to hide behind a car that is parked on the street, and then he realizes what’s happening. The date she told him about. Of course.

He’s about to leave, but when he looks back, he freezes at the sight of Andrew leaning over and kissing Rory goodnight. It’s killing him to stand there and watch, but he can’t will himself to look away.

Jess overhears them saying goodbye to each other and when Rory enters the building, he figures that is his cue to leave.

At least now he knows.

**

The kiss definitely caught Rory off guard. It wasn’t exactly unexpected, I mean, that normally happens at the end of a date, right? She simply hasn’t done this in a long time, and that is probably why it felt… strange and sudden, in a way.

Rory gets on the elevator and heads up to her apartment. She walks in and finds Lorelai half-asleep on the couch, with the television still on and a knitted blanket over her. “Mom?” Rory calls, and her mother slowly opens her eyes.

“Hey, you’re back!” Lorelai exclaims as she sits up, pulling the blanket down to her legs. She flashes Rory an excited grin and claps her hands together. “Tell me _everything_. Spare absolutely no detail.”

The daughter laughs softly before sitting down next to her. “It was nice. Andrew is… every bit the gentleman, and I don’t know, I had fun.” Rory tells Lorelai, but judging by the face she makes, she was expecting more than ‘It was nice’ and ‘I had fun’.

“It was _nice_?” Lorelai checks, drawing her brows together. “That’s it? Just nice?”

“Well…” Rory grimaces. “He did kiss me goodnight, if that suffices as the kind of juicy detail you were hoping for. But I swear that’s it.”

Lorelai gasps in response, oh-so-dramatically. “Why didn’t you lead with that?”

“It was only a goodnight kiss. It wasn’t like a… _From Here to Eternity _type thing.”

“I mean, was it a good kiss at least?”

“It was⎯”

“If you say nice again, I’ll smother you with this pillow” Lorelai warns her, and Rory raises her hands in mock-surrender.

“Fine” She gives in, “It was… adequate. I told you, it was a goodnight kiss. It lasted ten seconds, tops, so there’s not much to tell.”

“_Adequate_?” Lorelai makes a face, which is followed by a shudder. “Yikes. Don’t know if I feel worse for you or for the guy.”

“Oh, come on!” Rory protests, “It was the first date. First dates aren’t supposed to be steamy, hot affairs. Plus, you’re the one who said I couldn’t say it was nice!”

“And you went with _adequate_ instead?”

“I⎯ I got flustered!”

“That or it was not _that_ nice after all. I mean, you can’t force chemistry. It’s either there or it’s not. Why do you think Luke and I did it on the first date?”

“That’s different! You had eight years of unresolved sexual tension before then -- I _barely_ know Andrew. That does not apply here.”

“Okay, you might have a point there” Lorelai relents. “Anyway, you think you’re gonna go out with him again?”

“I’m not sure” Rory sighs, letting her shoulders sag a little. “He did say ‘let’s do this again sometime’ but I think that’s just something people say at the end of dates, so… I don’t know. Maybe.”

“Yeah, maybe the second date will be better” Her mom says and gives her arm a slight squeeze. “Who knows, right?”

“Right” Rory nods, sparing a small smile as she gets up from the couch. “I’m going to take a bath and then go to bed, so if you want go home, you can.”

Lorelai sticks out her bottom lip. “But I’m all warm and comfortable here…”

“Okay, stay. Don’t forget to call Luke, though. He worries.”

“Fine, _Mom_.”

“Hey! Don’t make me ground you.”

Lorelai grins in response. “Goodnight, hon.”

“Goodnight.” Rory replies, matching her smile.

**

The next morning, Rory and Lorelai go over to the diner, and she is hoping to see Jess.

Luke says he hasn’t seen him, so she heads up to the apartment to check if he’s there, but before she can knock, she stops when she sees a piece of paper taped to the door.

_“Rory, Luke or anyone else who might be reading this,_

_Something came up at Truncheon, so I had to come to Philly to help out. I think I might be staying awhile and I’m not sure when I’ll be back, but I’ll keep you guys posted. _

_Sorry for leaving without saying goodbye. In my defense, it was late when I got Matthew’s call and I guess old habits die hard._

⎯_ Jess.”_

When Rory finishes reading the note, her heart sinks. He left?

She takes out her phone, and tries to dial Jess’ number, but it goes straight to voicemail. Rory decides not to leave a message and just goes back downstairs.

Noticing how pale her daughter suddenly looks, Lorelai furrows her brows with concern. “Hey, are you okay?” She checks, and Rory nods, clearing her throat.

“Yeah, I’m fine” Rory responds, running a hand over her hair. “Except… Jess left, apparently. So, there’s that.”

Her mother’s eyes widen. “What do you mean he left?”

Rory wordlessly hands her his note and after she’s done reading it, Lorelai sets it down on the counter. “I mean, this doesn’t mean he’s not coming back. But… he would have to leave eventually, right? After the book was done?”

“I know, I just didn’t expect it to be so soon. I mean, he⎯ he could’ve told me, at least. Or called⎯”

“Rory…”

“No, look, I’m fine” She insists. “This is… it’s weird, is all. ‘Something came up at Truncheon’? Seriously?”

“Maybe something did come up. You never know.”

Rory folds her arms over her chest with a huff. “I guess.”

“And you’re sure you’re okay? Because if you’re not⎯”

“I told you, I’m fine. It’s not like he owed me an explanation this time.” She says quietly, her eyes darting over to her shoes. “_This time_. I can’t believe I said that.” Rory scoffs, more to herself than not.

“I’m sorry, honey, but you don’t sound fine to me” Lorelai tells her. “It’s okay to be upset, I know I would be. Just… give him time to explain. I’m sure he had a good reason not to say anything.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Rory nods, then puts on a weak smile. “Have you ordered yet? I’m starved.”

Lorelai smiles back. “Waffles are coming right up.”

(Later, Rory does try to call Jess again a couple of times, but he still doesn’t pick up.)

**

It’s a little past midnight when he calls.

Rory is already in bed but answers it anyway. “Hey” Jess says, and his voice is gentle, only a bit tired. “Sorry to be calling so late, I just⎯”

“Don’t worry about it” She tells him, and actually means it. “So… is everything okay? No one’s hurt or anything, right?”

“Just our printer. Still trying to figure out the _how_ part, but it… exploded. And since I’m the one who usually handles this kind of thing and I know the guy who does repairs for us better, I had to get back.”

“Jesus” Rory winces slightly. “I didn’t know printers exploded.”

“Neither did I. This was definitely a first.”

“But you’re figuring it out?” She checks, fidgeting with the hem of her sweater.

“Yeah. I’m handling it.”

“Good. That’s… good.”

“I’m…” Jess trails off, then clears his throat. “Listen, I have to go now, but I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

“Okay” Rory replies in a small voice. “Wait, um, do you think you’ll be back for Thanksgiving?”

He pauses for a moment, which, for Rory, feels like an eternity. “Yeah. I’ll be there.” Jess says finally.

“Well, I⎯ I’ll see you then” She lets out a sigh. “Bye, Jess.”

“Bye, Ror.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> see you all in the next one! x


	15. The One On Thanksgiving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke and Lorelai host a Thanksgiving dinner at the Dragonfly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone!! sorry it's been so long since the last update, i've just been struggling a little with having motivation to write but i managed to get this chapter done, so i'll see that as a win.  
i want to thank you all for 100 kudos (!!!) which is amazing and i'm extremely grateful. i hope you all can enjoy this and please let me know what you think!  
xo

Jess is asleep on his desk after staying up late writing again. He’s not sure what day it is or what time, but the good news is, he is almost done with the first draft of the book ⎯ because, as it turns out, the emotional turmoil he is currently in does wonders for his writing.

The doorbell wakes him up. He opens his eyes slowly and as he tries to get up, he feels a sharp pain in his neck from sleeping in a ninety degree position all night.

Getting to the door takes some effort but Jess does get there eventually. He opens it and finds Matthew standing outside. “Oh, thank God, you’re alive” Matt sighs, “I’ve been trying to call you for the past two days and⎯ Ugh, when was the last time you took a shower?”

“Hello to you too” Jess drones, making way so his friend can come in. “What are you doing here?”

“I am genuinely worried about you, man” Matthew tells him before turning to take a look around at his apartment. “The mess! _God_.”

“Listen, I’m… going through a thing, okay?” He half-explains, scratching the back of his head. “Don’t worry about it”.

“I _know_ you’re going through a thing. You wouldn’t have come running back to Philly you weren’t. But, seriously, talk to me. What happened?”

Jess plops down on the couch with a sigh. “I’m in love with her, Matt.” He tells Matthew, averting his gaze to the floor before looking back at him. “But she’s seeing someone now and… I guess our timing’s just never been right — and I don’t think it ever will be.”

“So what if she’s seeing someone?” Matthew insists. “This wasn’t a problem for you before, with what’s-his-face. The other ex.”

“That was different. I didn’t think I had a chance in hell with her back then, not a real one, anyway” Jess responds. “And now, I don’t think I do either, but… I actually have something to lose here. I’d rather have her as a friend than not to have her in my life at all.”

“I understand that, I do” Matt says, sitting down next to him. “But keeping this to yourself is killing you, Jess. You’ve been in love with this girl for what? Eighteen years now? How much longer can you go on without telling her how you feel?”

He shakes his head. “I don’t know. I’ve tried to move on, man. You know I have. But at this point, I don’t think I can.”

“Maybe, maybe not.” His friend tells him. “Either way, you _have_ to tell her. It doesn’t have to be today, or tomorrow, but you _have_ to do it, Jess. That’s the only way you’ll ever find closure ⎯ whether it is the kind of closure you want or not.”

“Yeah” Jess sighs. “I know. You’re right.”

“Now, come on” Matthew says, patting him on the shoulder. “Go take a shower and please, _please_ shave that thing on your face, and I’ll handle the rest of the mess”.

“You don’t have to do that, Matt—”

“Oh, yes I do” He insists, then gives him a hand to get out of the couch. “What are friends for, right?”

A weak, yet genuine smile appears on Jess’ face. “Thanks, man.”

Matthew smiles back. “Anytime.”

**

“How many people are we expecting again?” Rory asks Lorelai as they walk into the Dragonfly.

Lorelai takes another look at her clipboard before turning back to her daughter. “Not sure, actually. I do know Sookie and Luke are making enough food to feed a small village, so I guess… the more the merrier.”

“Of course they are” Rory half-chuckles, then bites her bottom lip. “Did… everyone who is supposed to come, uh, confirm?”

Her mother gives her a look. “Are you asking if _Jess_ confirmed if he’s coming?”

“What? No.” She snorts, unconvincingly trying to play it cool, but Lorelai can see right through her.

“You still haven’t talked to him?”

Rory lets out a sigh. “He called me, the night after he left. But we haven’t really talked since. It’s…”

“I get it” Lorelai gives her a sympathetic smile, squeezing her hand gently for a moment. “I’m sure things will go back to normal soon enough. You just have to hang in there.”

“Yeah, hopefully” The daughter nods. “So, did he…?”

“He’ll be here— Wait, scratch that” The older Gilmore girl turns to the front door and sees Jess coming in, “He _is_ here. Good luck, hon” Lorelai says, then sneaks away to the kitchen so Rory and Jess can talk.

Although it hasn’t been that long since Rory’s last seen him, Jess does look different. He shaved, which is pretty much the first thing she notices, but the way he carries himself seems… changed.

Rory takes a deep breath before gathering the courage to walk up and talk to him. “Hey” She says, as she fidgets with the sleeves of her sweater a bit nervously. “You came.”

“Hi” Jess replies with a small smile. “Yeah, I did.”

“You look good” Rory notes, matching his smile. “Guess being back home suits you, huh?”

“Thanks. And… I guess so” He clears his throat, “You look good too. Did… you change your hair?”

“Did… Yeah. I got a little trim, a couple days ago. Nothing major.”

“Well, it looks good.”

“Oh, thank you.” She replies with a slight nod and they then fall into a painfully uncomfortable silence.

“So, I’m going to say hi to Luke—”

“Sure. I have things to do, anyway. Gotta help out my mom with…”

“Right” Jess bows his head a little, pressing his lips together. “Okay, I’ll see you at dinner. Or before that.”

“You will, indeed” Rory clicks her tongue and for someone reason, points finger guns at him before he walks away, and Jess, despite his clear confusion, half-heartedly returns the gesture.

“Finger guns?” She mutters to herself under her breath, running a hand over her forehead. But before Rory can go outside to dig herself a hole to disappear into, Logan shows up at the entrance, wheeling a suitcase alongside him. She waves at him and he does the same, then walks towards her.

“Hey” He greets her with a warm smile and goes in for a somewhat unexpected hug.

“Hey” Rory manages to smile back, putting her hair behind her ear. “I’m glad you could come. I know this isn’t exactly your cup of tea but…”

“Are you kidding? I love this stuff” Logan says, still grinning. “Good food, family…”

She frowns at him. “Uh, did—” Rory tries then drops her voice down to a whisper. “Are you on… something? You seem loopy. It’s kind of freaking me out.”

He just laughs in response. “Oh, of course not. I guess I’m finally in a good place, you know. Hell, I’m _happy_. I’ve started therapy and—”

“You’re going to therapy?” She checks, trying not to sound _too_ surprised.

“Yeah! My therapist is fantastic. She really gets me.”

_Oh, he is _so_ screwing his therapist. _Rory thinks to herself before putting on a tight smile. Sure, that is a pretty big accusation, but she _knows_ Logan and he has _I’m doing it with my therapist_ written all over his forehead.

“I’m happy for you, Logan. I really am. It’s good that you’re working on yourself.”

“Thanks, Ace— Can I still call you Ace? It’s a thing I’ve learned in therapy. Acknowledging the other person’s feelings and needs. So, if you feel like me calling you Ace makes you in any way uncomfortable—"

“It doesn’t, don’t worry” She assures him. “Just… maybe take it down a notch. It can get a little repetitive if you use it too much.”

“Got it. _Rory_.” He smiles again. “Ah, can’t believe I almost forgot. I have some pretty big news. You ready?”

“I think so, but I’ll steel myself just in case. What’s up?”

“I got the transfer to New York” Logan tells her, “Which means you don’t have to worry anymore. We’ll figure out an arrangement once I’m settled into my new place, and then we can finally do this co-parenting thing right.”

Rory almost doesn’t know what to say. Part of her feels a huge amount of relief about not having to lose sleep over a possible custody battle and the other is just _annoyed_ by Therapy Logan. He’s too chipper, too _chill_ (She bets he says stuff like _chill_ now) for her taste. But… her personal feelings aside, if this means he’s going to try and be a good father now, then Rory can’t really complain.

“That is great news, Logan” She can’t help but smile too, and then pulls him into a quick hug. “Fresh start, right?”

“Fresh start” He agrees easily, bowing his head. “Hey, completely off topic, but do you guys have any rooms available? I really don’t want to have to drive back to my mother’s house tonight.”

“I think so. Talk to Michel at the front desk, he’d love to help you out with that” Rory replies oh-so-innocently. This is definitely mean. She’s aware, and boy, would her mother be proud.

Still, Rory can’t think of anything more entertaining than seeing Michel trying to deal with Logan and his new… _chill_ personality.

Wait -- she has to get Lorelai to see this!

**

Before Jess can even go into the kitchen, Luke storms out of there and walks right past him without slowing down. At his own risk, Jess follows his uncle outside.

“I take it the food preparations aren’t going too well?” He approaches and Luke just huffs, adjusting his cap.

“Sookie is making me want to run my head through a damn wall, but it’s nothing I haven’t dealt with before” He tells Jess. “I’m happy that you could come, though.”

Jess shrugs simply. “Well... you _are_ supposed to spend the holidays with your family, right?”

“Yeah, that’s what they say. But… you’re okay, right?”

“I’m fine. What’s with that tone, though?”

Luke waves a hand at him dismissively. “Oh, nothing.”

“_Luke_” The nephew insists.

“The tapes” He says, and Jess doesn’t need him to say another word. Of all people, it makes sense that Luke would be the first one to know.

“Huh” It’s all he can say in response. Jess runs a hand over his face then exhales gently through his nose. “So, you know.”

“I do.”

“And you didn’t…?”

“Don’t worry. I haven’t said anything to Lorelai or... you know.”

“Oh. Uh, thanks. For not saying anything.”

A small smile appears on Luke’s face. “No problem. Have you decided what you’re going to do about all that?”

“I’m… figuring it out.”

A pause. “Just don’t wait too long, okay?” Luke says. “You don’t want to find yourself in 10, 15 years still wondering about what might’ve been.”

Jess lets out a humorless chuckle. “Definitely not a pretty picture.”

His uncle’s expression lightens. “But, whatever happens, know I’m always on your side”

“Thanks, Luke” The corners of his lips quirk up into a slight smirk. “That means a lot.”

“Oh, before I forget” Luke then takes a small box out of one of his pockets, and hands it over to Jess. “Your mom wants you to have this.”

Jess frowns as he inspects the box in his hand. “What is it?”

“It’s your grandmother’s wedding ring” Luke explains. “Liz took it after our mom died and thought she’d lost it or something, but then about a week ago she found it, and asked me what I thought about passing it on to you” Jess’ eyes widen a little when he pops the box open, revealing the beautiful ring inside. “So here it is. It’s yours.”

Jess appreciates the gesture, he does, but if there isn’t anyone less likely to get married in the near future than him. “That’s really nice, Uncle Luke, but I’m not much of a jewelry guy—” He quips, and Luke glares at him in turn.

“_Jess_.”

He half-smiles, then raises his hands in self-defense. “Okay, sorry. I don’t get it, though. Why don’t you give this to Lorelai?”

Luke tries not to roll his eyes at his nephew. “Because I already got her a ring for our wedding. An awfully expensive one at that and I don’t know… I think you should have it. I mean, you never know.”

Again, nice sentiment, but Jess isn’t sure that it actually correlates with his current reality. “Now, when did you become such a romantic?” He asks teasingly, an eyebrow quirking up.

Luke opens his mouth to answer but is interrupted when his wife shows up at the door.

“Hey, there you are!” Lorelai exclaims as she struts into the front porch. “I’ve been looking all over for you! Sookie said you had a disagreement—”

“Understatement of the decade” Luke grumbles, crossing his arms defensively.

“Oh, God” She groans in frustration. “Can’t you two get along? It’s Thanksgiving, for Pete’s sake! ‘Tis the time to be jolly—”

“I think that’s Christmas” Jess points out as he clears his throat not-so-subtly.

“Hey, smart-ass, that’s not the point!” Lorelai protests and he bites back a laugh. “Also, hi. Really good to see you, Jess.”

“Good to see you too, Lorelai.”

“Anyway” She turns to her husband. “Can you at least try to work with Sookie?” Lorelai then bats her eyelashes at Luke, sticking out her bottom lip. “Please?”

With a grunt, he concedes. “Fine. I’ll try.”

“Great!” Lorelai grins in response. She then leans up to give him a kiss on the cheek. “Now, could you please make me some coffee? Sookie’s is fine, but yours is so much better.”

It doesn’t take much convincing this time. “Okay, I’ll be right there” Luke tells her with a slight smile.

“Man of my dreams” Lorelai sighs wistfully as she wraps her arms around one of his and rests her head on his shoulder for a second. “Oh, and don’t forget, Anne is supposed to call later with news.”

“Today? It’s a holiday. Should she be working?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. I guess social work never sleeps.”

“Apparently not” Luke agrees. “At least we’ll know soon, right?”

“That we will” Lorelai nods. “I’ll wait for you in the kitchen” She says and gives him a quick peck on the lips before going back inside.

“Is everything okay?” Jess asks, given he couldn’t help but overhear their conversation.

“Yeah, yeah” His uncle assures him. “We’re waiting to know if we’ll be able to adopt Ellie or not. We met her last week and it went well, but…”

“You never know with these things” Jess finishes Luke’s thought for him. “Well, I hope everything works out for the best. You guys deserve this.”

“Thanks” Luke replies. “And to answer your question… Probably the minute I met that one.”

Jess smiles at that. “Fair enough. You should go, I’ll wander around for a bit or something.”

“You do that” Luke gives him a tap on the back. “Don’t go anywhere too far, though, okay?”

“Okay. I’ll be around, relax.”

His uncle shoots him a slightly skeptical look before walking back into the Inn. “Good.” Luke says and Jess just gives him a two-finger salute in return.

Jess is halfway down the steps so he can walk around the grounds for a bit when someone calls after him. He turns, and sees Logan standing by the door. “Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me” He mutters under his breath.

“Hey Jess, can we talk?” Logan asks as he hesitantly steps into the porch.

He takes a deep breath, then nods. “Sure.”

“Listen, I’m trying this new thing, where I acknowledge my mistakes and apologize for them” The blond tells him, “Just something I picked up in therapy—”

“Therapy?” Jess furrows a brow at Logan, a little confused.

“Long story. Anyway, I realized that I never apologized for what happened at Richie’s first birthday, so I’m doing that now. I’m sorry. What I did was unacceptable, and it shouldn’t have taken me this long to do this, but… I’m working on that.”

Of all things, Logan apologizing to him was not exactly something Jess expected to happen today. It’s strange to say the least, and it’s hard to believe that his apology is genuine, but Jess decides to give Logan the benefit of the doubt for once.

“Okay” He replies with a slight shrug. “Apology accepted.”

“Good” Logan sighs in relief then runs a hand over his stubble. “I know you don’t like me. And you’re not exactly my favorite person, but I think we should at least be able to stand being in the same room with one another. For Richie’s sake and… Rory’s.”

“Agreed. But you won’t have to worry about me being around as much anymore. I’m back in Philly now, so. Don’t think that’ll be a problem.”

“Oh, are you and Ro—”

“Yeah, I’m not doing this with you” Jess cuts in before Logan can say something that might undo whatever progress they’ve just made. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going for a walk. But good talk, man.”

“I guess that’s fair” Logan nods with the hint of a smile on his face. “Enjoy your walk.”

He puts on a slight smirk as he turns to walk away. “I will.”

**

Later, Rory looks around the Inn for Jess so they can maybe have an actual talk and finds him in the library, sitting on the couch with one leg crossed over the other and a book on his lap.

He glances up from his book for a second and when he sees her coming into the room, Jess tries to find an out, and thankfully, April is around. “Hey, April!” He calls after his cousin, then walks to the hall, where she’s leaning up against a wall with her phone in her hand.

“Hi, Jess” April grins and then goes in for a somewhat awkward hug. “How’s it going?”

“Good, good” Jess responds, then leads her into the living room, away from Rory, who just watches, confused.

“Look, I need you to do me a favor. It’s no big deal, but do you think you could run interference for me with Rory?” He says as soon as they’re out of earshot, and April frowns at him.

“Oh, I don’t know” She grimaces slightly. “I’m not exactly the best at picking up social cues. But what’s going on? I thought you two were friends. Are you mad at her or something?”

“The opposite, actually. And you’ll be fine. I just really need you to do this until I can… find the right way to talk to her, okay?”

“The _opposite_? Oh, wow. So, you’re—”

“Yeah” Jess huffs. “But she doesn’t know, and you can’t, under any circumstances say anything. Not a word.”

April smiles. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”

“Thanks” He manages to smile back. “I knew you were my favorite cousin for a reason.”

“I’m pretty sure I’m your only cousin, but I’ll take it.”

“Well, still. Thank you again.”

“You’re very welcome.”

**

“I think Jess is avoiding me” Rory says to her mother as she takes another forkful of pie into her mouth. “Every time I try to talk to him, he suddenly has to go do something else or April shows up. I think they’re in cahoots together.”

“_Cahoots_?” Lorelai checks with a slight raise of her eyebrows, and Rory glares at her in turn.

“You know what I mean” She grumbles, her mouth still full. “What do I do?”

Her mother lets out a sigh. “The only thing you can do is wait it out. If you push, it might make things worse. I know that from experience.”

“He is _so_ frustrating. I never know where I stand with him. It’s like—”

“Oh, there you are!” Emily enters the kitchen before Rory can continue her ranting. “Are you two hiding from your guests?”

“Mom, hey” Lorelai lets out a nervous chuckle that is reserved only for her mother. “No, we’re just eating some pie before dinner starts. It’s really good pie. Apple. When did you get in?”

“Lorelai, you’re rambling” Emily admonishes.

“Sorry” She mumbles. “How was your flight?”

“Oh, just dreadful” The matriarch sighs, sliding her sunglasses to the top of her head. “I should’ve driven here, I’m sure that would’ve been far more efficient.”

“I’m sorry, Grandma” Rory offers a sympathetic smile. “Other than that, how have you been?”

“Very well, Rory, thank you” Emily smiles back. “You look nice. Did you cut your hair?”

“No one ever notices _my_ hair…” Lorelai muses quietly, grabbing another bite of the apple pie.

“Thanks. And yeah, it was just a trim” The granddaughter clarifies. “Anyhow, Richie is looking forward to seeing you. He’s with Logan in the common area now but—”

“Logan’s here?” Emily perks up at that, sounding surprised.

“Yes, Grandma” Rory retorts, “But don’t go getting any ideas, okay?”

“Ideas?” Her grandmother half-gasps, feigning innocence. “The thought didn’t even occur to me, dear.”

“Okay” She says, still skeptical. “I’ll let them know you’re here.”

“I will be right with you” Emily responds before turning to Lorelai. “So, what is new around here?”

_Well, other than the fact that I might be adopting a child soon, not much. _Lorelai thinks to herself. “Uh… We got a new pool table at the rec room. It’s a big hit.”

Her mother rolls her eyes at her. “I mean with you and Rory, not the Inn, Lorelai.”

“Oh” She gulps. “Mom, I need to tell you something, but I need you to promise you won’t try to talk me out of it or judge me too harshly for it, okay?”

Emily eyes Lorelai warily for a moment, then nods. “Alright, I promise. What is it?”

“Luke and I are looking to adopt” Lorelai tells her. “We met this adorable eight-year-old name Ellie last week and if everything goes accordingly, we might get to take her home soon.”

The matriarch absorbs what her daughter has just told her and after a minute, she smiles. “I’m happy for you, Lorelai. I think you and Luke will be great parents together.”

Her response catches Lorelai completely off-guard, so much that she can feel herself getting emotional. Emily Gilmore said that she is _happy_ for her. No lecture. Instead, she is being _supportive_. This is a day for the history books.

“Thank you, Mom” She says, her voice soft. “That means a lot coming from you.”

“Of course. Now, we should probably get going, no?”

“Yeah” Lorelai smiles. “It’s best not to let the people waiting.”

**

Dinner goes surprisingly smoothly. Conversation comes and goes – and the drunker they get, the less coherent it is.

After a while, people begin to leave the table and gather in the common area.

Rory sees Jess going outside and chooses not to follow her mother’s advice after all. She follows him into the front porch and stops him before he can light the cigarette in his hand.

“Jess” She calls after him and he turns to face her.

“Hey” He responds, putting the pack of cigarettes back into his jacket pocket.

“Don’t _hey _me” Rory snaps, taking another step towards him. “You know, I’ve been racking my brain all day, trying to figure out why you’ve been avoiding me, and why we haven’t talked in God knows how long, but I just can’t figure it out. Maybe it’s me, maybe I’m just that daft, but I don’t know, I still feel like there is something I’m missing here.”

“Rory—”

She feels a lump forming in her throat and tears beginning to pool in her eyes but continues anyway. “I don’t know what I did, or what changed” Her voice begins to break and her bottom lip quivers as she tries to keep herself from crying. “You’re my best friend, Jess. The only person I can— or could talk to about everything. And I miss you. Just tell me what I did, so I can, so we can fix it. Please.”

Jess hates this. All of it. The fact that he made her feel like _she_ did something wrong, simply because he was too afraid to face her and just tell her how he feels, when hurting her is the last thing he wanted.

“Rory, stop” He chokes out. Jess takes a deep breath and tries to find the words to say what has been the only thing he’s ever been sure of for the past eighteen years. “You didn’t do anything. I’m sorry that I avoided you and that what I’m about to say will probably… fuck everything up, but I can’t… I can’t keep running from this anymore.”

“What are you talking about? I don’t—”

“_I love you_” Jess tells her. “I’m in love with you. How could I not be, when simply being around you is a reminder of what I’m capable of feeling?”

Rory just freezes. She wants to, she _has_ to say something, but nothing comes out. “Jess, I—”

“Wait, just hear me out” He cuts in. “I’m saying this with absolutely no expectations, and for no reason other than that... I _needed_ you to know. And that... that is enough for me.” Jess says, then buries his hands into his pockets. “I should go. I’m sorry.”

He walks away and Rory can’t bring herself to stop him. She inhales deeply and sits down on one of the steps, wiping away her tears, that are about to start falling again.

Her phone suddenly starts to ring, and Rory tries to pull herself together to answer it. “Hello?” She puts the phone to her ear, without even bothering to check the caller ID.

“Rory?” She hears Alex’s voice on the other side of the line. “I think I’m in trouble. Can… can you please pick me up?”

“Alex?” Rory answers, her voice filled with concern. “Where are you?”

“I came to this college bar, it was stupid” Alex says, slurring her words. “I think someone slipped something into my drink. I’m in the bathroom right now but—”

“Send me your location and stay on the line” She tells her. “I’ll be right there.”

Rory doesn’t even think. She reaches for her car keys and rushes to the Inn’s parking lot. She gets to Hartford in record time and just storms into the bar to look for Alex.

“Excuse me, miss” The security guard stops her, “I’m going to need to see some ID.”

She scoffs at him in disbelief. “Listen, I am thirty-five years old” Rory barks. “I’m a grown-ass woman, but there is a seventeen-year-old that has been possibly drugged somewhere in this place, and that wouldn’t have happened if you carded the right people, so I think you should get the hell out of my way.”

Rory pushes past the guard and finds her way to the bathroom. She knocks on every stall and finds Alex inside one of them. Rory puts one of her arms around her and helps her to walk out of there.

As they’re leaving, she sees cops coming in and one of the officers stops her. “Ma’am, please hang on a second” She tells Rory, who does as asked.

Not too long after, they take two guys in their twenties into custody and Alex manages to identify them as the ones who roofied her drink.

After giving their statements, Rory decides to take Alex back to Stars Hollow with her. All that matters is keeping her safe now. Rory will just have to deal with everything else in the morning.

“Happy freaking Thanksgiving” She mutters to herself as she drives past the _You are now leaving Hartford, Connecticut_ sign.


	16. The One Where Rory Knows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the events of Thanksgiving, Rory has a revelation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone!!! sorry it's been so long since the last update, but i struggled a lot with inspiration and just motivation to continue this story even though i really want to still give it the most that i can.  
i don't know how i really feel about this chapter but i hope you all still enjoy it! let me know what you think, i love hearing your thoughts!!  
happy reading and till the next one <3

Rory lends Alex a change of clothes and orders them some takeout from Al’s, which leads to her having to explain why the local Chinese food (and whatever kind of international cuisine) place is called Al’s Pancake World.

Alex falls asleep on Rory’s bed, who is more than happy to take the couch. After everything she’s gone through tonight, she deserves to sleep on an actual bed, even if it isn’t her own.

Knowing she won’t be able to fall asleep anytime soon, Rory turns on the TV and stares at it, while her mind wanders, thinking about how she’s going to approach the situation with Alex’s parents the next morning and… Jess.

It feels selfish to think about what happened between them outside the Inn earlier tonight, but his words keep echoing in the back of her head, and she replays that moment over and over, wondering what she would or could have done differently, but every time she ends up in that same position: immobile and unable to get a single word out.

Her mom calls later, to ask why she had to leave, and she tells her about the situation with Alex, but keeps Jess’ confession to herself, because she still has to process it in her own time. Not now, though.

Lorelai ends up revealing that she and Luke will be able to take Ellie home before Christmas — refreshingly great news amidst all this chaos — and Rory makes sure to let her mother know how happy she is for them, although her worrisome state is preventing her from actually feeling it.

Rory doesn’t know when or how, but she ends up falling asleep, only to wake up with her phone ringing on the coffee table. She blindly reaches for it and puts it to her ear, without checking the caller ID. “Hello?”

“Miss Gilmore, this is Mrs. Becker, Alex’s mother. We’re on our way to pick her up” The woman on the other side of the line says firmly, without taking a beat, like she’s reading from a script. No sign of concern, nothing. Just cold, meaningless words.

“Okay” Rory replies, sitting up straight. “Let me know if you have any trouble getting here. We’ll see you soon.”

“We will. See you soon.” The line clicks, and Rory scoffs to herself. Of course she would hang up like that.

That’s when she notices Alex standing by her bedroom door, Yale merch clad and the look on her face indicates that she probably heard the whole two minutes of that phone call. “Hey” Rory spares a small smile. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah, thanks” Alex nods as she hesitantly walks into the living room. “Was that my mother?”

“Uh-huh. She and your dad are coming to pick you up soon.”

The girl just bows her head again, pressing her lips together. “Listen, when they get here… Let me handle them. I’m sure they’ll find a way to blame you for what happened, when it’s actually no one’s fault, except for the frat boys who roofied me.”

“That’s a nice offer, Alex, but I think it will be better if I explain everything. Plus, I’m curious to meet your parents since they’ve never come to any of the parent-teacher conferences.”

“Trust me, you’re not missing out on much” Alex all but snorts. “My mother is… to put it nicely, a bitch, and my father probably thinks he’s better off pretending I don’t exist, so.”

That makes Rory’s heart break for her a little bit more. “Well, I happen to think that they’re the ones missing out on the great kid they have, and I’ll make sure they know that when they get here.”

A weak, but genuine smile appears on Alex’s face. “Thanks.”

“Come on, I’ll make us some breakfast” Rory says, returning her smile as she gets out of the couch and heads towards the kitchen.

Alex cocks an eyebrow at her. “You know how to cook?”

“Not exactly…” She grimaces slightly. “Do you like Pop-Tarts?”

**

Not long after they’re done eating, the intercom rings. Rory gets up and puts on her coat, deciding to go downstairs instead of buzzing Alex’s parents up.

She finds a middle-aged woman with dark hair and green eyes wearing expensive looking clothes leaning up against a black Rolls-Royce and a balding man standing next to her as he takes a long drag from his cigarette.

“Mr. and Mrs. Becker, it’s nice to finally meet you” Rory greets them, doing her best to keep things more civil than in the different scenarios she thought up in her head of how this conversation would go.

“Miss Gilmore” Mrs. Becker nods in response. “Likewise. Now where is our daughter?”

“Alex is finishing up breakfast and I wanted to speak to you before you take her home.” When neither of them protest, Rory continues. “As you may know, what happened last night was, in the very least, traumatizing for your daughter, even though things could’ve gone a lot worse and—”

“Well, none of this would’ve happened if Alexandra had stayed home like she told us she would” Alex’s father weighs in as he puts out his cigarette, stomping it with his foot. Rory tries to think about how that cigarette butt on the sidewalk would cause Taylor to nearly have a stroke in order to keep herself together, but even that turns out to be ineffective.

“Okay, let’s not victim blame here—”

“Victim blaming?” Mrs. Becker arches her eyebrows with a look of disbelief on her face. “She’s not a victim, because nothing happened.”

“_Nothing happened_? Your daughter was _drugged_!” Rory snaps. “And the only reason why she was at that bar in the first place was because _you_ refused to take a single day off work, which would only be understandable if you lived from paycheck to paycheck, to spend the holiday at home. So don’t you dare blame _your_ bad parenting on _her_.”

“You have no right to speak to us like that!” The woman retorts, her eyes wide. “In case you’ve forgotten, you’re her _teacher_ and _I_ am her mother, so I’ll handle this as I see fit.”

“You mean you’ll handle it poorly, then?”

“That’s it” Mr. Becker storms right past Rory and presses the button on the intercom. “Alexandra, get down here, now! We are leaving.”

“The school board will hear about this, you know” Alex’s mother snarls. “There is no way Chilton will allow behavior like this from their faculty, I know that much.”

Rory lets out a huff, crossing her arms over her chest. “We’ll see about that.”

Alex exits the building and turns to mouth “I’m sorry” to Rory before her mother practically drags her into the car by the arm. Mr. Becker gets into the driver’s seat and his wife shoots Rory one last icy glare before she hops onto the passenger’s seat.

They drive off, leaving only a trail of smoke behind. That’s when Rory notices her hands are trembling and there’s blood ringing in her ears. She wishes she could’ve gotten Alex to stay instead of letting her go home with two awful people, who will blame her for their own shortcomings, but there was nothing she could do without causing any more of a ruckus.

Rory inhales the cold air and exhales sharply before going back inside. She would be lying if Mrs. Becker’s threat didn’t hit a nerve, but _someone_ had to tell her off sometime, and Rory is glad she got to be that person.

**

About a week passes and Rory is helping her mother and Luke prepare for the visit from the social worker on their case, Anne, the last step before they can officially bring Ellie home.

Ellie is eight and Rory got to meet her a couple of days before. She’s very shy but seems to be comfortable around Lorelai and Luke. Ellie also really likes drawing, and her picture of a rainbow is displayed on the fridge, along of some of Richie’s more abstract ones.

“So, are you nervous about the home visit?” Rory asks her mother as they finish setting up what used to be her room to be Ellie’s new room. It’s a little weird to think about someone else moving into her childhood bedroom, but still Rory finds it surprisingly easy to let go. She took a lot of her stuff with her to the new apartment, though, so this change goes as smoothly as possible.

“A little” Lorelai admits with a small shrug. “I mean, it’s as real as it gets now. Only one more step to go, and it’s official.”

“I’m proud of you, Mom” Rory tells her. “Of the both of you. And I’m sure everything will go well, and that Ellie is the luckiest girl on the planet to have you and Luke as her parents.”

Her mother smiles. “Thanks, honey. That means the world.”

“So, after we’re done here, I’m meeting Andrew for coffee” Rory says, fluffing one of the pillows. “Just so I can get out of your hair and catch up with him, since he just got back from London.”

Lorelai gives her a look. “How are things going with him?”

“Now there’s a loaded question” She snorts. “They’re good. I mean, they’re fine. He’s… really sweet but I can’t seem to…” Rory then stops herself, remembering that they still have yet to discuss what happened on Thanksgiving.

It’s unfair of her, she’s more than aware of that, but she misses Jess. A lot. Just talking to him and being given the reassurance that everything will be okay in the end, every time, without fail.

Her feelings for him are complicated, to say the least. There’s so much at stake, so much history, and losing him forever in case they ever tried again, and it didn’t work out is just too scary a thought for Rory to handle.

Getting her mother’s perspective on this would help, but Lorelai has a lot on her plate already, so seeking her advice on this seems trivial at the moment. Rory _will_ talk to her, though, and soon. Just not now.

“Rory?” Lorelai calls, bringing her daughter out of her reverie.

“It’s nothing. I guess I haven’t dated anyone in a while, so it’s a little weird” She shrugs, and Lorelai doesn’t seem at all convinced, but doesn’t press either.

“Okay” Her mother says. “You do know I’m here if you wanna talk about it, right?”

Rory nods in turn, her lips quirking up ever-so-slightly. “Yeah, I do.”

**

“So your mom is okay?” Rory asks, taking another sip of her coffee. “Breaking her hip must’ve been awful.”

“She’s fine” Andrew replies. “This is not the first time that’s happened, either. My mother is the kind of person who won’t ask for and won’t accept help from anyone, because she has this irrational fear of depending on others, so she does everything on her own, even assembling a six foot tall Christmas tree when she could easily have hired someone to do that for her.”

“Well, I’m glad she’s okay” She manages a smile. “And about the not wanting to rely on others thing, I definitely get how frustrating it can be. My mom is the same way.”

“It’s a lovely trait until it’s not” He half-chuckles as he stirs his cup of tea. “But enough about me. How was your Thanksgiving break?”

“Great” Rory says almost automatically, even though that is the furthest thing from the truth. “I mean, Thanksgiving dinner at the Inn went surprisingly well but then, getting that call from Alex and what happened to her, and her parents… It was a lot.”

Andrew takes one of Rory’s hands into his own. “I’m sorry.” He says, with a sympathetic look in his eye. His encompassing warmth allows her to exhale for a moment.

_This is good. _She tells herself. _Uncomplicated, easy. _And almost believes it.

“Hey, would you like to go to a winter carnival this weekend?” She asks, and Andrew draws his brows closer together in a slight frown. “It’s an annual thing the town puts together and it’s a lot of fun. There are games and hot chocolate and pretzels—”

He then cuts into her rambling. “Say no more. You had me at hot chocolate.”

A big grin appears on her face. “You won’t regret it, I promise.”

Andrew smiles back. “I’ll hold you to that.”

**

** Stars Hollow’s Annual winter carnival — 2017 **

_Surprisingly enough, it feels nice to be out of the house. After giving birth a short few months before, Rory fully embraced her homebody tendencies and rarely left Richie alone if she could help it. _

_She’s aware that she _will_ have to cut that emotional umbilical cord eventually, considering her plans to go back to school to get her master’s so she can teach at Chilton, but it’s easier said than done. _

_Her borderline helicopter parenting became a reason of concern to her Mom and Luke, though. They tried their best to slowly weed her out of the nest so she would go back to showering daily and have conversations that did not warrant baby talk but failed miserably. That’s when the two decided to call for backup, meaning Jess._

_He stuck around a lot in the few months that followed Richie’s birth, trying to help as much as he could, sleeping on the couch and rocking the baby back to sleep (something he was naturally good at) so Rory could have a chance to rest. As much as he, deep down, wouldn’t mind staying, his life in Philly awaited, so Jess had to go back. He still visited often, and this was one of those times._

_“Come on, it’ll be fun” Jess had insisted, trying to get Rory to go to the carnival with him, which, for the record, was Lorelai’s idea, not his. He avoided Stars Hollow’s wacky town events as much as he could._

_Rory gave in soon enough, although she could see right through him and the conspiracy that had been plotted in order to get her out of the house._

_“Here, I got you a pretzel” Jess says as he walks up to her, holding one of Rory’s prizes under his arm (A large stuffed dolphin) that he had won her at a game of ball toss. _

_“Ooh, bless you” She smiles gratefully, taking in the delicious smell of the warm pretzel filled with mustard, just the way she likes it. “Thanks for getting me to come, this has been fun.”_

_“Yeah, it’s not bad” He agrees. “I knew you would enjoy it once you remembered what life outside the close quarters of your room is like.”_

_Rory glares at him, but without any heat. “Ha-ha, you’re very funny.” She deadpans with her mouth still half-full. “Mm, also, I know my mother put you up to this.”_

_Jess feigns innocence. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”_

_“Sure you don’t” She retorts, and he lets out a slight chuckle. “I’m glad you’re here, though. Even if it is as part of a ploy to get me to shower and leave the house.”_

_He gives her one of his rare smiles. “Me, too.”_

**

Rory meets Andrew outside her building, and they walk to the square together. He reaches for her hand on the way and she just pretends not to notice. It’s not the hand holding itself that’s the problem, it is the eyes of the town on them and the last thing Rory wants is to give them another reason for them to discuss her love life even more.

Speaking of which, she makes a mental note to tell Kirk to end the poll on the paternity of her kid, because it’s not only insane that it is still going when they all know who the father is at this point but also the fact that people sit around theorizing about that doesn’t exactly sit right with her.

“They really go all out for this thing, huh?” Andrew says as he takes a look around the square, his expression a mix between amazed and only the tiniest bit intimidated.

“Oh, yeah” She nods in response. “Now, what do you think about watching me lose at the ball toss? It can be really fun. Many can attest to that fact.”

“Only if you promise not to laugh too hard at _me_ losing at the ball toss” He responds, making her smile in return before leading him to the booth with the game.

After a bit, Rory doesn’t care that people are watching and their looks and whispers just fade into the background. She does her best to focus only on being with Andrew and trying to have some fun for once.

While he busies himself wasting his money on the game of shooting ducks, Rory goes over to the coffee cart to get herself a much-needed caffeine fix. When she takes another stride towards it, however, Rory freezes at the sight of someone who looks an awful lot like Jess. Her heart begins to beat loudly, and only eases up when the man turns and it’s not him.

A mixture of relief and disappointment washes over her. Truth be told, even though she has been able to distract herself a little, her thoughts always go back to him, so much that she’s started to see him everywhere. When she drives past the diner on her way to work, outside her apartment window at night, the ghost of him is always there, along with those three words, echoing in the back of her mind.

They’re something that she’s been secretly longing to hear for God knows how long, and at the same time, the last thing she wanted to hear. It’s always been like this with Jess. Putting walls up so she won’t risk falling.

She looks back at Andrew. Everything is so easy with him. And maybe that’s what she needs: the easy and uncomplicated. But what she needs isn’t the same as what she wants.

Rory forgets about the coffee and just walks back to where Andrew is. “Hey, I’m a little tired, so I was wondering if you’d mind… going back to my place for a drink or something.”

He clears his throat a little, then nods. “Yeah, sure.”

It’s stupid and impulsive but Rory thinks she’s earned the right to be stupid and impulsive by now.

They get to her apartment and stand awkwardly at the foyer until she decides to kiss him. Andrew kisses her back almost immediately and they stumble into the living room, falling back on the couch. They part for a second and when Rory stops to look at him, she sees Jess.

“Are you okay?” Andrew asks but it’s Jess’ voice that comes out. “Mm-hm” She whimpers before kissing him again. Then Rory suddenly feels her face getting wet, realizing that she’s _crying_.

“Rory” He stops, pulling away, and it’s Andrew again. “You’re crying. Listen, we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, I didn’t expect—”

“No, no, I want this” She insists, wiping away her tears, but they just won’t stop falling. Rory is officially a blubbering mess. “I’m sorry, I—”

“Don’t worry” Andrew assures her, pulling her hair away from her face. “What do you say we watch a movie instead? Anything you want. I’m not picky.”

She manages a weak smile, then sniffles. “T-that sounds good. Thank you.”

**

They choose to watch _The Princess Bride _and as much as Rory tries to pay attention to the movie, she can’t stop thinking about how completely embarrassed she feels, even if Andrew reassured her that it was fine.

“I’m going to get a glass of water” He says as he hops out of the couch. “Do you want anything?”

“No, thanks” Rory replies. Andrew gives her a pat on the shoulder and heads to the kitchen.

His phone then begins to ring on the coffee table and Rory opens her mouth to call after him, but when she gets a look at the contact picture displayed on the screen. It’s a picture of very pretty woman, with auburn hair and hazel eyes, with her arms wrapped around Andrew’s neck as she lays a kiss on his cheek, and he has a wide grin on his face.

Her name is Alison. Lindsay, Odette and _Alison_. Rory swore to herself that she would never have to add another name to that list, yet here she is, in this same position, again. Except this time, she didn’t know. Hell, she would never have guessed it. That Andrew, nice and uncomplicated Andrew, would have it in him to make her the other woman. Again.

That word is burned into her brain, carved onto her forehead. _Again, again, again._

The call goes to voicemail and that’s when Andrew returns to the living room, with a glass of water in hand. Rory straightens up and then puts on a tight smile as she gets up and walks towards him. “Can I have a sip of that?” She asks, and Andrew hands the glass to her before Rory throws the water back in his face.

“What the—”

“Alison called” Rory spits, putting the glass down on the coffee table. “And if you come up with some excuse about how she’s your cousin or your sister, I swear to God.”

Andrew lets out a deep breath. “Rory, I’m sorry, but you have to understand—”

“Oh, no, I don’t have to understand anything” She cuts in, “You have a girlfriend, right? Or a fiancée, or a wife. Trust me, I know. And I also know that you’ve been having problems, and that you’re going to leave because it’s as good as over. I’ve heard it all, so save it.”

“You’re right, there is no excuse for this” Andrew says, raising his hands in self-defense. “But I never meant to hurt you or anyone. I swear.”

Rory just shakes her head. “You didn’t hurt me. You hurt Alison.”

“I know, I—”

“I’m going into my room and when I come out again, I expect you to be gone” She tells him firmly. “And come the end of winter break and you see me at school, do us both a favor and pretend this, whatever it was, never happened. Goodbye, Andrew.”

Rory blows past him and slams her bedroom door behind her. She sits down on her bed, and she’s shaking, this close to bursting into tears again.

She feels utterly used and humiliated, and the worst part is that Jess was right. He saw through Andrew’s act at the dance, and although part of that stemmed from a place of jealousy, he has also always been an excellent judge of character. She should’ve known.

**

The next morning, Rory goes by the house to talk to her mother. Now that Ellie is more or less settled into Stars Hollow, it seems like the right time.

She goes up the steps to the front porch and then knocks on the door twice before going in. Rory finds Ellie sitting by the coffee table, going through her set of markers to pick the right color for this one part of her drawing.

“Hey, Ellie” Rory calls as she walks into the living room with a small smile. “What are you drawing there?”

“Hi” The girl replies, turning to her. “It’s a castle, see?” Ellie shows the sheet of paper to Rory, who nods in response.

“It’s very pretty. Definitely going on the fridge.”

Ellie’s eyes suddenly gleam with excitement. “Really?”

“Oh, for sure” Rory assures her before taking a look around, wondering where her mother is. “Is Lorelai around? I need to talk to her.”

“She’s upstairs, I think” Ellie says, then turns her attention back to her drawing.

Rory walks upstairs and finds her mother sitting on her bed, with her reading glasses on as she narrows her eyes at her laptop screen. “Hey” The sound of her voice makes Lorelai look up from the computer.

“Hi, sweets” Her mother beams. “I didn’t know you were coming by.”

“Yeah, me either” Rory plops down on the bed next to her. “Is the Internet giving you a hard time again?”

Lorelai glares at her. “Hey, don’t say it like that!” She half-protests. “You make it seem like I’m a hundred years old.”

“Geez, sorry” The daughter raises her hands up in mock-surrender, and Lorelai sighs.

“I’m trying to get on the Instagram, but I can’t seem—” Lorelai then presses one of the keys frustratedly, “—to figure this out. It can’t be this hard!”

“First, it’s just Instagram. And it’s easier if you create an account on your phone” Rory tells her, and her mother slaps a hand to her own forehead.

“Of course!” Lorelai shakes her head. “I knew I was doing something wrong.”

“I’ll help you with it later. I’m no master at it, but I can hold my own.”

“Thanks, hon” The older Gilmore girl says. “Now, you probably came here for a reason other than to check on your dear, old mother. What’s up?”

Rory takes a deep breath, trying to figure out where to start. “Well, do you remember when I left on Thanksgiving to help Alex?” She asks and Lorelai nods her head yes. “So, something happened before that. With Jess.”

Her mother takes off her glasses, her eyes widened. “What?”

“He told me he’s in love with me” Rory tells her, and Lorelai’s jaw drops. “I walked up to him and asked him why he had been avoiding me the entire day, and then he just… said it.”

“And what did you say?”

“Nothing. I froze. I wanted to say something, and I felt like an idiot, just standing there, but nothing would come out. Not one word.” She sniffles. “So he said he was sorry and left. Except this time I can’t blame him. I mean, I would’ve left too.”

“Oh, honey…” Lorelai takes one of Rory’s hands into both of hers. “You could’ve told me this before. You shouldn’t have been mulling over this on your own.”

“I know” Rory exhales softly through her nose. “I didn’t want to burden you with this, since you were already handling so much with the adoption and helping Ellie adapt, I just didn’t think it was as important.”

“Hey, you can come to me with anything, good or bad, no matter what I have going on. I’m your mom, Rory. That’s what I’m here for.”

The daughter spares a weak smile. “Thank you, Mom.”

“Have you talked to Jess since then?” Lorelai asks and Rory shakes her head.

“No. Not a word.” She responds. “I tried ignoring it, all of it, but I can’t. Ever since that night, I can’t stop… thinking about him and what he said and what I could’ve done differently that night. And then there’s the thing with Andrew—”

Lorelai frowns. “What thing with Andrew?”

“Oh, I didn’t tell you?” Rory lets out a humorless laugh. “He was cheating on someone else with me the whole time, and I had absolutely no idea. I found out last night after the carnival.”

“What?!”

“Yep. She called his cell, and I saw it, then I put two and two together and kicked him out of the apartment.”

“Jesus” Lorelai scoffs. “The nerve on that guy!”

“I know. And the worst part is that Jess _knew_. He read him the second he saw him at the dance, but I didn’t believe him. I thought he was just jealous or something, but he was right” Rory’s eyes dart over to her shoes. “He was right.” She whispers, more to herself than not.

Lorelai presses her lips together, unsure of what to say. “Rory, I’m going to tell you something that I should have a long time before” She begins and Rory turns to her again, “If you think that Jess is the person you’re meant to be with, you shouldn’t be afraid to put your heart on the line again, because it just might be worth it.”

Rory knows her mother’s right. All this time, she has pushed away the thought of trying again with Jess because she’s too _scared_ to risk anything, on the off chance that they might get the timing right this time.

But with Jess, it’s different. It always has been. They have a connection that has stood the test of time, something that probably will never go away, no matter how hard they try to fight it.

Jess knows that, and that’s why he couldn’t keep his feelings to himself anymore. He’d rather risk it than not. And maybe Rory should too.

“It doesn’t matter” She says quietly. “It’s too late. He probably thinks that I’m over it and that I don’t feel the same when—”

“You do feel the same, don’t you?”

A couple of tears slip and stream down her face. Rory doesn’t reply, but that’s all the answer Lorelai needs. “I think you should go to him. I mean, you’ll never know until you try. You once got on a bus and went to strange city to see the guy, and I know you were seventeen at the time, but I know that girl is still in there somewhere. Maybe you should listen to her.”

“You think so?”

Lorelai nods, with a slight smile. “Yeah, I really do.”

Rory lets out a sigh. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay. I’m going to Philadelphia. Right now.” She says as she rises to her feet then takes a beat before heading out of the room. “I’m going.”

“Go!” Her mother exclaims and Rory goes back to give her a tight hug, then finally goes down the stairs.

She says goodbye to Ellie and practically runs to her apartment, getting on her car with nothing other than the clothes on her back. It’s nearly a three-hour drive, but Rory plans on making it in two.

**

When she finds herself standing outside Jess’ building, it’s official. Rory hops out of the car and then goes inside, trying to go over what she’s going to say in her head, but can’t come up with anything that is even remotely coherent.

She’s buzzing with adrenaline and can barely feel her legs, so much that it’s like they’re moving on their own. Rory gets into the elevator and presses the button to Jess’ floor, and every second that passes is an opportunity for her to lose her nerve, but she doesn’t.

Rory walks down the hall up to his door, then rings the doorbell. There’s no going back now.

No one answers at first, but when she raises a hand to knock, the door swings open, and Matthew is the one on the other side, not Jess. “Rory?” Matt raises his eyebrows, completely taken aback by her being there.

“Matthew” She responds, just as surprised. “What… where’s Jess?”

“Jess isn’t here, Rory.” He says after pausing for a moment.

Rory inhales deeply, forcing a smile. “Do you know when he’ll be back?”

“He went to New York last night” Matthew tells her but something about the look on his face says that he probably wasn’t supposed to. Her face suddenly falls. It’s not that he wasn’t supposed to tell her, he didn’t want to, because he knew that she would make the connection.

“He went to see Victoria, didn’t he?” She asks, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. The last thing she wants is to start crying in front of him.

“It’s not like that” Matt assures her. “They’re not back together or anything. Her… her mother died.”

Rory did not only lose her momentum but now she also feels terrible. She knows that Victoria and her mom didn’t have the best relationship, but she can only imagine how painful this must be. And of course Jess had to be there for her, that’s just who he is.

She nods that she understands, then turns to him again. “Could you not mention me coming by?” Rory all but pleads. “I know he’s your friend and that you don’t owe me anything, but—”

“I won’t” Matthew says. “Unless he asks me directly, which I don’t think he will.”

“Thank you, so much” Rory tells him quietly, fidgeting with her hands. “I should probably go.”

“Okay” Matt bows his head a little. “Do you have anything you do want me to tell him?”

A sad smile appears on her face. “No. Not really.” She replies, but they both know that’s not true.


	17. The One With Rory's Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jess attends Victoria's mother's wake. Rory decides to send Jess a thoughtful gift for Christmas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone!! hope it hasn't been too long since the last update and that you're all well. not sure how i feel about this chapter but i hope you still enjoy it. also, sorry for any mistakes, i looked through it like four times but i might have missed something anyhow. happy reading and please let me know what you think! 'til next time <3

Jess parks his car across the street and makes his way through the snow-covered yard and into the house. People dressed in all black gather around in small groups, talking in hushed tones and sighing mournfully as they swap stories about the good, old Eleanor Harper. Exactly like she would’ve wanted.

Victoria’s mother never seemed to like him much, but again, few were the people who were deemed good enough in her eyes. He then walks past a large oil portrait of Eleanor, and he could almost swear that it looks like the eyes in the painting are following him, and that makes Jess shudder a little.

_Note to self, do not think ill of the dead, especially not during their wake and not when there are life-size paintings of them around_, he thinks to himself, then begins to look around for Victoria again, hoping to talk to her since he didn’t get a chance to at the funeral.

He talks to her younger sister, Holly, and asks about Victoria, but she also has no clue where she is. 

Jess finally finds her hiding in plain sight, sitting at the bottom of the staircase to the second floor. Her blonde hair is no longer pulled into a tight bun, it’s down and only a little past her shoulders; her black dress is bunched up around her waist and she is now barefoot, the pair of black heels sitting next to her on the steps.

Her mind seems to be miles away while she stares blankly at a half-empty glass of scotch. “Hey,” Jess approaches and Victoria looks up at him, managing a weak smile, “can I sit?” He motions at the spot next to her on the stairs. She nods, then puts her heels on the step above so he can sit.

“I’m glad you could come,” Victoria places a hand on his knee, “I meant to talk to you, before, but—”

“Don’t worry about it,” Jess assures her, “How are you? Considering…”

She goes silent for a beat, biting her bottom lip. “I’m surprisingly okay,” Victoria decides, “You know, after my father died, I thought I wouldn’t be able to bounce back from that, but I did. And I feel like that, in a way, prepared me for this,” she lets out a sigh, “But there’s not much preparing you can do when it comes to death. It comes, and pulls the rug from under you, but just have to get up again.”

Jess then takes a flask out of his jacket pocket, pouring the liquor into her glass before taking a swig out of it himself. “I’m very proud of you,” he tells her, clinking his flask against Victoria’s glass. She smiles at him.

“Very Lou Grant,” she says, taking a sip of her drink, “How are you, though?” Victoria asks, “Last I heard you were going back to Philly. What happened there?”

He lets out a dry chuckle. “That is a _really_ complicated story.”

“Hey,” she half-shrugs, “I’ve got nowhere else to be. Spill.”

Jess inhales deeply. “Well, for one, you were right. Everything you said about me and…” He can barely bring himself to say her name. It doesn’t get any more pathetic than this.

Victoria offers him a sympathetic look, staring at him with those doe, green eyes, like she can see into his soul. “Just how inappropriate would it be if I bragged about being right now?” she asks, lifting a brow at him.

“Just appropriate enough,” Jess replies with a small smile.

“Good, thank you,” she says, bumping shoulders with him, “But seriously, what happened? Did you—”

“Yep.”

Victoria bows her head a little. “Okay, and what did she say? From the look on your face I assume it was not good, but how bad?”

The image of Rory standing in front of him, static, the color draining from her face, flashes before his eyes again. “She didn’t say anything. But, to be fair, I did catch her off guard.”

“Please don’t tell me you drove off without sticking around to see what she had to say,” and when Jess doesn’t reply, Victoria smacks him on the arm. “Oh my god, Jess!”

“What else was I supposed to do?” he half-protests, “Clearly, she didn’t have anything to say, so I couldn’t just stand there, trying to force a response. I wasn’t waiting for one, I just needed to… get it out.”

“I think it’s good that you did,” she says, “And, even if Rory didn’t say anything back right away, it doesn’t mean she never will. I’ve seen the way she looks at you, Jess. That’s _love_, whether she knows it or not.”

Jess shoots her a skeptical look. “Since when are you such a hopeless romantic?” he teases, elbowing her arm. Victoria just rolls her eyes at him.

“Look, it’s hard not to root for the two of you, especially now that I’ve removed myself from _that_ equation,” she shrugs, “Although, there is this one thing that I just can’t get over.”

He draws his eyebrows closer together, seeming confused, “What’s that?”

“How you two never did it,” Victoria says, “I mean, okay, I guess… nah, still don’t get it. That much tension and _nothing_? You must’ve at least done _something_, because one can only take so many cold showers—”

“First of all, good to know you still have no filter,” Jess retorts, “and second of all, something like what?”

“Well, you know—” But before she can motion what she has in mind, he stops her, putting her hands away, which makes Victoria laugh.

“I got it, thanks,” He says with a roll of his eyes, a small smirk still tugging on his lips.

“Hey man, dead mom pass,” Victoria then raises her glass toward him before downing the rest of the drink, “also, I think I might be a little bit drunk.”

“I figured as much,” Jess replies, amused, “Now, I know you don’t celebrate Christmas or anything, but I got you something,” he reaches into his pocket and hands her a shiny, silver flash drive. Victoria takes a second to inspect it then narrows her eyes at Jess.

“Wow,” she says, trying and failing not to sound slightly disappointed, “This is… great, Jess, but I already have several flash drives. I basically collect them.”

“Except…that one is special.”

Victoria fake-gasps. “Is it also a pocket-knife? ‘Cause _that_ would be cool.”

“It so happens to contain the first draft of my book. All finished, and just waiting to be edited,” Jess tells her, and her eyes go wide, “You are still my editor, aren’t you?”

“Why didn’t you lead with that?” She exclaims as she stares at the flash drive, wonderstruck, “You finished it! You—”

“Now, don’t sound _too_ surprised” he snorts, without any heat. Victoria gives him a look.

“I am not surprised, I’m…happy! Ecstatic, even. And _so_ proud of you, too. I knew you could do it.”

“Read it first, okay?” Jess says, “I just wrote and wrote until I was done and at the brink of extreme exhaustion. I have no clue whether it’s actually any good.”

“Of course it’s good!” Victoria insists, “I know something great when I see it, and from the little I’ve read of this, I am more than certain that this book is incredible – and you’d be an idiot not to think so too.”

“Thank you,” he then gives her one of his rare smiles, “it means a lot, coming from you.”

“You’re very welcome,” she says as she wraps her arms around his waist and he throws one around her too, pulling her closer, her head leaned against his chest. They stay like that for a while, ‘til Victoria pulls away, tucking her hair behind her ear.

“Guess it’s time to face reality now,” Victoria huffs gently through her nose, “I should get something to eat, I just realized I’ve been drinking on an empty stomach since yesterday. Plus, my legs hurt. These stairs are _not_ comfortable.”

“In that case…” Jess trails off before standing up, a mischievous look in his eye. He then offers a hand to help Victoria get back on her feet, and she tentatively takes it, “how about we go out to get a burger?”

She raises a brow at him, “You mean… ditching my mother’s wake?”, and before he can say anything else, Victoria grins: “I thought you’d never ask.”

**

The winter break could not have come at a worse time. Having all this time to spare, means more time to dwell on things, which is, by far, the last thing Rory needs.

After her ill-timed trip to Philadelphia, she has decided to push all of that away and focus on other things, keeping herself busy in any way that she can. Rory sorted through her clothes to pick what to keep and what to donate, reorganized her books (that are now alphabetized by the authors’ names rather than the title) and vacuumed the apartment. _Twice._

She _will_ run out of things to do soon enough, though, and that will mean that it’s time to face the harsh, cold reality. But today is not that day. Today, Rory can just sit back and sip on a glass of wine while watching _Buffy_ reruns. A truly ideal way to be.

That is, until the doorbell rings.

Rory forces herself to get out of the couch, pushing the blankets away and walks over to open the door. Much to her surprise (and confusion) she finds Paris standing on the other side, with a suitcase in hand. “Hey,” her friend says, “Can I stay with you for a few days?”

“Um, sure,” Rory replies as she makes way for Paris to come inside, “Did something happen? You seem…upset.”

Paris lets out a deep sigh, “Everything’s fine, except for the fact that my kids ditched me for the holidays because they want to spend Christmas in California with Doyle.”

“Oh, I’m sorry Paris,” Rory responds, “I thought your kids liked spending Hanukkah with you in New York, where is this even coming from?”

The blonde plops down on the couch, arms folded over her chest, “Who knows. This separation has clearly spoiled them. They have no discipline, no respect for tradition—”

“Have you talked to Doyle about it?” Rory asks as she sits down next to her friend, handing her a glass of the red wine, “He could talk to them. I mean, I thought that with couples therapy—”

“Don’t even remind me of that,” Paris grumbles, “According to our therapist, who also happened to be Brad and Angelina’s therapist — no wonder why those two didn’t make it —, we were supposed to ‘take things slow’, but we blew it.”

Rory frowns at that and then a look of realization dawns on her, “Oh, no” she says, her eyes going wide, “You didn’t…?”

“It was not my fault, okay?” Paris cries, “I was lonely, and weak, and- and he showed me his calves!”

“His _what_?”

“Hey, men’s calves can be sexy!”

Rory does her best to move on from that, although the image of Doyle seducing Paris with his exposed calves, that, by the way, are strangely hairless (She’s seen him in swim trunks at the beach!), is now seared into her brain.

“Okay, so you slept together,” she says, trying really hard to rationalize the situation, “then what happened? That seems like it could’ve been a good thing, y’know, to get you on the path of getting back together…” Rory then stops when she notices the look on her friend’s face, “…or not.”

“Nope,” Paris shakes her head before draining her glass completely, which Rory finds worrying, to say the least, “It just made everything worse.”

“What do you mean?”

“At first, it was supposed to be an one-time thing, but then it turned into a two-time thing and I lost track after that,” she explains, “The problem is that Doyle can’t do the sex with no strings thing, and one night, he told me he loves me, so obviously, I bailed.”

“Paris, you’re already married, what’s the big deal about that?”

“If he really loved me, he wouldn’t have left me!” Paris says, her voice starting to break, “How am I supposed to trust him no to do it again?”

“He made a mistake,” Rory tells her as she puts a hand on Paris’ shoulder, “And you’re right, there’s no way for you to know if he’ll make that same mistake again but…there’s a big chance he won’t, either.”

“You’re right,” her friend nods, “may- maybe I should give him the benefit of the doubt.”

“Well, whatever you decide to do, just know that I’m here for you. Always,” she says, and Paris manages a weak smile, “Come here,” Rory then pulls her into a warm hug.

Before either of them can say anything else, the intercom rings, “Are you expecting anyone?” Paris asks as Rory gets up to go get it.

“Yeah, Lane was supposed to come over for a Diane Keaton movie marathon,” Rory half-shrugs, “and since you’re here, we can truly make it a girls night.”

“I do like Diane Keaton…” Paris trails off as she moves to fill up their glasses.

“Even better, then,” she retorts and then presses the button to buzz Lane in, “This should be fun”, Rory adds as an afterthought, a wide grin on her face.

**

Halfway through _Something’s Gotta Give_, the pizza arrives and when Rory returns to the living room, her friends both give her the same weird look of concern. “What’s going on with you two?” She asks, her eyebrows furrowed.

“We’re worried about you,” Lane says, and Paris hums in agreement, “We were talking, and we noticed that you seem a little…off.”

“When did you have time to discuss that? I was gone for literally two minutes.”

“We also talked when you went to the bathroom,” Paris admits with a slight shrug, “That concerns me too. No one should pee that much.”

She scoffs in disbelief, “Have you seen the amount of wine we’ve been drinking? Plus, I have a small bladder! Who cares?”

“Okay, I think we’re losing sight of what’s important here,” Lane weighs in, “Rory, we need to know what happened between you and Jess. I mean, why did he leave? Is he coming back? Did you—”

Rory’s jaw stiffens. “I don’t want to talk about Jess, okay?”, she responds before sitting back down on the couch, “Let’s just watch the movie.”

“Why not?” Paris insists, still unwilling to let it go.

“Because if I talk about him, then I’ll have to think about him and if I think about him then—” her voice wavers, “I’ll start crying again, but I don’t want to bum everyone out on girls night, so… Drop it.”

“Oh, sweetie…” Lane coos, rubbing her arm gently, “I promise, you wouldn’t be bumming anyone out. You know you can talk to us.”

“There’s not much to talk about,” Rory sniffles, “he…told me he loved me, and I froze, because even though I felt it too, I couldn’t— The words wouldn’t come out.”

“Have you tried to talk to him since?” Paris asks as she grabs a slice of pizza from the box, taking a large bite. Lane gives her a look. “What? I’m listening, but that doesn’t mean I’m not hungry,” she says with her mouth still full.

“No, I haven’t, although…”

“Although…what?”

“I did go to Philadelphia to see him, but he wasn’t there,” Rory confesses and her friends gasp in unison, “He was out of town. He had to go to his ex’s mother’s funeral, so…I left.”

“Still!” Lane exclaims, “It must’ve taken some guts to want to go to him like that, even if the timing didn’t help.”

“I guess,” she sighs, letting her shoulders sag, “but it doesn’t matter anymore. I missed my chance and now it’s just…over.”

“It is _not_ over!” Paris tells her, “This is far from over. Rory, you and Jess have a kind of connection that doesn’t go away like that. The throwing the towel thing might be the solution for other people, but not for you.”

“What else am I supposed to do, then?”

“Take the first step,” Lane says, “and go from there. Text him, or give him a call, anything. What matters is that you don’t give up on this yet.”

Rory goes silent for a moment, then huffs. “Okay,” she concedes, raising her hands in mock-surrender, “I’ll try.”

“I knew you weren’t a complete coward,” Paris says as she gets her glass of wine from the table, raising it towards Rory.

“Gee, thanks,” Rory snorts, mirroring her gesture, “Now can we please watch the movie? Girls night should not be ruined by all of this boy talk.”

“I do think Diane would understand, though,” Lane points out with a half-shrug, before reaching for the remote to press play on the movie again.

“Agreed,” she says, managing a small smile, “Now, hand me a slice of that pizza, I’m _starved_.”

**

The sun still has only now come up, but Rory is already awake, sitting by the window as she sips on a mug of hot coffee. It snowed overnight, so the entire town is covered in a blanket of soft, new-fallen snow. It’s absolutely beautiful out.

She puts the mug down on top of her bedside table and then goes into the bathroom for a shower. Rory feels more at ease now that she’s been able to talk to Paris and Lane about everything that’s happened in the past month with Jess. That doesn’t mean that the pain won’t still come and go, but…it’s a start.

Rory gets dressed to go out for the first time in days, hoping to get her Christmas shopping done after she stops by the post office to mail Jess’ copy of _Howl_ back to him. She had this idea long before anything happened, to put notes in the margins and then return it on Christmas morning, back when them spending the holiday together was still a given.

There’s no reason why he shouldn’t still get it, though. Besides, they’re going to have to talk to each other sometime, so Rory’s decided that it is best to just…rip the band-aid off and take the first step.

Paris is asleep on the couch, with a leg hanging out, while she mutters something incoherently. Good to know that at least some things never change.

Rory picks up a pen from the coffee table, before beginning to write on the title page: _Merry Christmas. Just wanted to put some notes in the margins for you. Rory._

She wraps it in colorful paper then puts it into her purse. It’s early, so Rory will stop by Luke’s for breakfast and will head to the post office after that. It’s a long shot, but hopefully it’ll get them somewhere, anywhere. As long as it means they’re speaking to each other again.

**

Rory’s gift is officially on its way to Philadelphia. It should arrive exactly on Christmas day, which couldn’t have been better timing — maybe things are starting to look up after all.

Shopping for everyone else’s presents goes without a hitch. Rory has always been a gifted gift giver (This makes her think about how Jess _hates_ when she uses of that pun — and puns in general), so that wasn’t something she really had to worry about.

She goes by the house and they’re in the process of decorating the tree, since this year Luke and Lorelai decided to get a real tree for Ellie. Rory can barely contain her smile as she watches Ellie hop on Luke’s shoulders to put the star on top of the tree. That’s probably the happiest she’s seen him and her mother in a while.

This time of year has always been Rory’s favorite. Guess there’s just something about having the people she loves most in this world gathered all in one room. Well... _almost. _

**

Christmas dinner goes by smoothly and ends with everyone sitting by the fireplace, watching _Polar Express_ — Ellie and Richie’s pick. Rory is starting to get tired and finds herself nearly dozing off every now and then. Wine does tend to make her sleepy.

She gets up to get herself more of the double fudge cake Luke made, but before Rory can even open the fridge, her phone buzzes in the back pocket of her jeans.

Her heart skips a beat when she sees Jess’ name displayed on the screen. “Jess?” Rory answers, attempting not to sound to eager or surprised, even if she is both.

“Hey,” his voice comes out a little raspy, before it settles, “Is this a bad time?”

“No, no, it’s—” she tries to assure him, still a bit flustered, “Uh, that wasn’t a sentence. Sorry.”

She’s sure Jess has noticed the way she is stumbling on her own words, but he is gracious enough not to point that out. “So, how are you doing? How’s everyone?”

“Fine,” Rory nods, even though he can’t actually see her, “Everyone’s good too. Paris is here, and you probably know that Mom and Luke brought Ellie home a couple of weeks ago, which is good.”

“Yeah, Luke did mention it when I called him the other day,” he replies, “and did you say _Paris_ is there?”

The change in his tone allows her to breathe a little. “Very long story, still unsure of how that happened myself,” she retorts as sits down on one of the chairs at the table, “But how are you doing? It’s- it’s been a while.”

“Not too bad,” Jess says, “Just got home from this Christmas party at Truncheon that I didn’t even want to go to in the first place.”

“Oh, and how did that go?”

“It was bearable,” he replies, “Just wasn’t really in the mood to be there. Anyway, there reason I called was to say that I got your gift.”

“What?” Rory’s voice comes out louder than she intended, “It was only supposed to get there tomorrow!”

“I take it USPS chose the wrong time to be efficient, then,” Jess half-jests, and they manage to fall back into their old dynamic for a moment, “Although, I don’t know if this actually qualifies as a gift, considering you stole it from me in the first place.”

“_Borrowed,_” she corrects him, biting back a smile, “But hey, it does qualify as a gift, because now it happens to include my brilliant margin commentary.”

“I guess I can’t argue with that logic,” Jess says after a beat, “so…thank you.”

Rory pauses for a second, feeling slightly suffocated by the crushing weight of everything left unsaid. “Of course. Oh, and merry Christmas.

“Merry Christmas, Rory.”

“Um, what are your plans for New Year’s?” She asks without thinking.

“I don’t know. Probably just gonna stay home, watch the ball drop on TV,” he responds, “Matthew might still try to convince me to go bar hopping until midnight, even if I’ve explicitly told him that we’re way too old for that. Why?”

The mention of Matthew’s name makes Rory stop for a second and then a wave of relief washes over her, since Jess doesn’t seem to know anything. She really owes him one.

“No reason, just…” she trails off, “Miss Patty is having this end-of-the-year party at her dance studio on New Year’s Eve and they’ll set off fireworks too and I don’t know, it- it could be fun.”

When the line goes silent, Rory starts to second-guess everything she’s said up until now, but before she can embarrass herself even further, Jess speaks. “Okay. I…I’ll try to make it,” he says and that gives her a little bit of hope— just not enough.

“Okay,” she echoes, “So, I should probably go. We’re watching _Polar Express_ and I don’t want to miss the ending.”

“Well, can’t miss that,” Jess says, and Rory can tell that, even if he chose not to say it, that he is definitely judging their Christmas movie choice, “Goodnight, Rory.”

“’Night, Jess,” she replies, and they both hang onto the call for a second, before hanging up.

“Hey, hon,” Lorelai suddenly enters the kitchen with a half-empty bowl of popcorn in hand, “What’s with the long face?”

“Just talked to Jess. He called me.”

Her mother nearly drops the bowl, completely wide-eyed. “And?” She asks eagerly as she pulls up a chair, “What did he say? What did you say?”

“We made some small talk, then he thanked me for the Christmas gift I sent him and afterwards I told him that it would be fun if he came back for New Year’s, which was probably the worst possible idea.”

“Why is that such a bad idea?” Lorelai frowns, “I think it’s good you’re making progress. Talking to each other after weeks of radio silence is a really big deal.”

“I don’t know, what if he doesn’t come? Or worse, what if he was planning on coming and now that I mentioned it, he changed his mind?”

“Sweetie, that makes no sense,” her mother tells her calmly, “You’re overthinking it. If he comes, great and if he doesn’t, well, who’s to say it has anything to do with you? That kind of thinking is awfully self-centered. For all we know, he could be avoiding me, ever think about that?”

Rory manages a weak smile. “I guess so.”

Lorelai smiles too, wordlessly taking one of Rory’s hands into her own.

“I just— I’m in love with him, Mom,” Rory finally allows herself to admit that out loud, feeling at least some of that weight being lifted from her shoulders, “and maybe I shouldn’t be, I wish I weren’t but…it is what it is.”

“I know,” her mother says, “but, hey, you never know, right?”

“You never know,” Rory nods, except she’s not sure she actually believes that.

**


	18. The One With The Stars Hollow New Year's Extravaganza

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With her resolutions for the upcoming year ready, Rory attends Miss Patty's annual New Year's Eve celebration.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone!! hope you're all good and ready for another update! this chapter is one of my favorites so i really hope you enjoy it. thank you for all your support, it is, as always very much appreciated. happy reading and please let me know what you think! <3 see you in the next one x

The entire town is buzzing with excitement for the New Year’s Eve celebrations later. Rory, on the other hand, isn’t looking forward to it as much.

She’s even considered skipping it, but knows that no one would ever let her hear the end of it, so she’ll make a quick appearance at Miss Patty’s, get through some pointless small talk and maybe, if she is feeling brave enough, have a cup or two of that infamous punch, even though the last time she did that, she ended up fainting in her mother’s living room.

One thing she is excited about, though, is writing down her resolutions for the new year. This is something she’s done for as long as she can remember, and even if her wishes have become a lot more realistic over the year, it’s still fun.

Rory walks into Luke’s, longing for some good coffee and a Danish, because Danish day must go on, even in the morning of New Year’s Eve. “Hey Luke,” she greets him, setting her purse down on the counter, “Coffee and Danish, please.”

“Coming right up,” Luke nods in response, “you seem chipper today. Is this New Year’s insanity rubbing off on you, too?”

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with being excited for the new year,” Rory raises a finger at him, a mock-stern look on her face, “But I know what you mean. People could definitely take it down a notch.”

“Tell me about it,” he lets out an exasperated sigh, “It’s a new decade, but who cares? The first so-called roaring 20’s ended with the beginning of the Great Depression, so if anything, we should be _scared_, not excited.”

Rory grimaces, “I guess you do have point there,” she says, “At least that’ll be over after tonight. And tomorrow morning. Then it’s back to our regularly scheduled programming of Stars Hollow weirdness.”

Luke scowls at her in turn, “You say that like it’s a good thing,” he grumbles as he throws a dishcloth on his shoulder, “I’ll go get your food.”

“Thank you,” Rory says to him with a smile. She then takes her old copy of _Emma_ and decides to skim through in the meantime.

Not too long after, Lorelai and Ellie enter the diner, wearing sparkly tiaras and with feathered boas wrapped around their necks. “What happened to you two?” Rory asks as she closes her book.

“We were conned into helping decorate the studio for the party,” Lorelai replies with a huff, then sits down at the table closest to the counter, “Why are you sitting over there? There are plenty of empty tables” she makes a face, “Place’s dead.”

“I like to sit at the counter, plus, I wasn’t expecting company,” Rory retorts, “But if you insist, I’ll move.”

She hops off the stool and takes a seat next to her mother at the table. “Now, would you look at that,” Luke exclaims as he emerges from the back with Rory’s order in hand, “There is a princess in my diner!”

“Luke, it’s just me, Ellie,” the girl says, scrunching up her nose. She then takes off the tiara and turns to him, “See?”

“Oh, there you are, Ellie!” he continues with the bit, making Ellie giggle, “Did you know that there was a princess here? You _just_ missed her.”

“He is smiling _so _much,” Rory whispers to Lorelai, who also happens to have a big grin on her face.

“I know, right?” her mother whispers back, “It’s freaky. But still adorable.”

“Definitely, she half-smiles, before taking a bite of the cherry Danish.

“So,” Lorelai clasps her hands together, “Any word from Jess?”

Rory lets out a sigh. “Nope,” she replies, staring down at her mug, “Well, not exactly. I texted him a picture of Richie in his elf costume and he just told me to enjoy while I still can subject him to this kind of thing.”

Lorelai snickers at that, and Rory glares at her in turn. “What? It’s funny!” Her mother whines, “Plus, he’s joking around, isn’t that a good thing? To have that back and forth again?”

“I don’t know, I never know with him,” Rory shrugs, “I just wish we could _talk_. Not over the phone or via text but face-to-face. Except it seems like we keep missing each other, in one way or the other.”

“You’ll get a chance to do that tonight. I’m sure he’ll at least stop by.”

She takes another sip of her coffee, then huffs. “That makes one of us.”

**

It’s early in the afternoon and Jess is sitting on his couch, in the same position he’s been in since he got out of bed and dragged himself over to the living room when he woke up, only a little past noon. He has _Good Will Hunting_ on but is barely paying attention, since he keeps staring at his phone, looking at the time pass, still not sure if he should head up to Connecticut for New Year’s or not.

Jess makes a quick list of pros and cons, and as it turns out, seeing Rory again has made both columns. He misses her, of course, but he doesn’t know how he is supposed to face her so soon after he told her how he feels, especially since he has no idea where they stand anymore.

Ever since Christmas, Jess has flipped through his copy of _Howl_, trying to look for any kind of clues, anything that might indicate how she might be feeling after everything, but he’s got nothing. Still completely in the dark.

Before he can grab the book from the coffee table again, Matthew walks through the front door, carrying a brownbag and a couple of to-go cups in his hands. He loves the guy, but Jess slowly is starting to regret giving him a key, since he has little to no boundaries and spends more time there than in his own apartment.

“Why are you not dressed?” Matt asks in lieu of a greeting, “I thought you were driving back to the Hollow today.”

“I told you I’d _consider_ going,” Jess corrects him, with a roll of his eyes, “I’m still deciding.”

Matthew plops down on the couch next to him. “And what is that decision depending on?”

“I don’t know. Things have been weird between me and Rory since Thanksgiving, so what happens if I show up there? Will we just ignore the pink elephant in the room the entire time?”

“I’m sorry, did you just say the _pink_ elephant in the room?” His friend furrows a brow at him.

Jess just shrugs. “I mean, a pink elephant would be harder to ignore than a regular one.”

“Man, you really need to get out of this couch,” Matthew shakes his head, then gets up, turning to the other side of the room, “Okay, I need to tell you something,” he says as he turns to face Jess again, “Just know that by doing this, I am compromising the value of my word, I—”

“What are you babbling about?” Jess frowns as he straightens up on the couch, “Who’d you give your word to?”

“Okay, remember how you went to Victoria’s mother’s funeral before Christmas and you asked me to housesit for you while you were gone?”

“I _never_ asked you to housesit, you broke into my apartment so you could eat my food and binge-watch _Veep_ on my TV, but go on.”

“Well, someone came by to see you, and that someone was Rory.”

Jess’ eyes suddenly go wide. “What?”

“Now, I don’t know why she was here, but she had that romcom protagonist glow,” Matthew continues, “You know, the one they get right before they rush to confess their love for the guy they were always supposed to end up with but didn’t realize until it was too late?”

Jess takes a moment to try and process that. So Rory came to see him, out of the blue, no text, no call… but he wasn’t there. Their timing was off, again. _Thanks a lot, Universe,_ he thinks to himself.

“Did she say why she was here? I could’ve just forgotten something in Stars Hollow and maybe she came by to drop it off,” he says, still trying to rationalize things. Matthew gives him an exasperated look.

“What could possibly be so important that she would have to drive all the way to Philadelphia to return? Plus, she didn’t have anything in hand, so that theory is crap.”

“You’re right,” he says as he finally gets out of the couch, “I guess there’s only one way to know why she really came here, right?”

“Yep,” Matt nods, then narrows his eyes at him, “Wait, you’re talking about driving to Stars Hollow for New Year’s, right?”

“Exactly,” Jess confirms, tapping him on the shoulder before he starts to make his way over to the bathroom, “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to shower and _then_ go see about a girl.”

Matthew chuckles at that, then glances over at the TV, just as Robin Williams utters the final line of the movie, almost as if Jess had timed that perfectly. “Can’t say I blame him”, he says to the empty room, “That line never gets old.”

**

“Why do all of these _suck?_” Rory grunts as she goes through the dresses in her closet, trying to find something to wear for the party, but nothing seems right.

She’s this close to giving up, when this sequined, champagne-colored number catches her eye. Mm, it could work. Rory puts it on and confirms her suspicions, it does look good, and, as an added bonus, it highlights her curves in all the right places. That’s definitely the one.

After Rory is finally dressed and ready to leave, she takes one final look at her reflection in the mirror, smoothing the fabric of her dress with her palms. She grabs her coat and purse, then heads out.

The walk over to Miss Patty’s is quick and when she gets there, it seems like half the town has already made it, even though Rory is right on time. She hangs her coat by the door and receives a series of wolf-whistles from Babette and her mom, who are sitting together at one of the tables. “Rory, you look smokin’!” Her neighbor exclaims in that raspy voice of hers, “I am officially not the hottest one in the room anymore.”

“You really do,” Lorelai agrees, “Hoping to dazzle a potential someone?” She asks, a sly smile on her lips.

“Thanks, and no,” Rory retorts, raising a finger at her mother, “Can’t a girl simply dress up for the sake of dressing up?”

Lorelai shrugs. “Whatever helps you sleep at night. Or not sleep, depending on how tonight ends and who shows up—”

“Oh my God!”

“Just tell ‘em like I see ‘em, babe.”

“You are crazy, and I’m going to get a drink,” she says then turns around to go over to the bar Kirk has set up in the back.

“Hey Kirk,” Rory approaches and then has to take a moment for her eyes to adjust to just how shiny the silver suit he’s wearing is, “That’s… an interesting outfit.”

“Oh, hello Rory,” Kirk says, then runs a hand over his sleeves, ending up with glitter all over his fingertips, “You mean this old thing? I just had it lying around, and since we’re entering a new decade, I thought futuristic would be the way to go.”

“Good thinking,” she smiles, taking a seat at one out of three stools, “Can I have a gin and tonic?” Rory tells him and he nods promptly. She looks over her shoulder to do another scan of the room, and still no sign of Jess. Rory turns to Kirk again with a huff, “And keep them coming,” she adds.

(…)

Over two hours have passed, and Rory is starting to think that Jess might not come after all. It’s not like he promised he would or anything, but part of her really thought maybe he’d show up and… It doesn’t matter. She’s there to be with her family and her friends and just have fun. That’s all.

“Dance battle!” Rory hears someone yell and the guests all gather around the improvised dance floor. She follows their lead and finds Kirk and Miss Patty in the middle of an intense competition, glaring at each other, a sight so ludicrous that if she weren’t there to see it herself, Rory wouldn’t believe it.

The dance-off ends when Kirk attempts to do a death drop and ends up not only ripping his pants, but also seems to have pulled a muscle in his groin. It does not look pretty.

That’s when Rory would normally turn to the side and Jess would say something unbelievably inappropriate, that she would try her hardest not to laugh at, but instead, there’s no one there.

She glances at the digital clock on the wall, counting down to midnight, and with every passing second, her hope also withers away. Maybe it would be better if Rory just went home, sat down on the couch in her pretty dress and watched the ball drop at Times Square on TV, instead of bumming everyone else out with her less-than-sunny disposition.

Rory takes a look around and puts her coat back on, slipping out unnoticed while the others busy themselves with either trying to help Kirk or calling 9-1-1. She does hope he’s okay, though, and feels bad for not sticking around, but being there has slowly become too hard for her to handle — and choosing to go in the first place was definitely a mistake.

**

Rory ambles through the empty streets of the town, her hands buried deep into her coat pockets, doing her best to brave the cold wind on her way home.

Nearing her apartment building, she stops when she sees a black Chevelle parked out front and _Jess_ leaning up against it, wearing a dark jacket and jeans, an unlit cigarette in hand.

After getting past the shock and realizing that he is, in fact, there, Rory walks up to him, trying to think of something clever to say as she approaches. “You know, that’s not going to light itself,” is all she can come up with, making him turn to look at her. His eyes brighten at the sight of her, and he gives her one of his rare smiles, one that makes her heart race.

“Huh, so _that’s_ what I was doing wrong,” he retorts, eyebrows shooting up as he walks over to meet her halfway. “You look nice,” Jess says as he puts the cigarette into his jacket pocket, taking a good look at her.

“Thanks,” Rory beams, tucking her hair behind her ear, “You look good, too.”

Jess presses his lips into a fine line. “So, you left the party early,” he notes, his tone playful, “Did the Stars Hollow New Year’s Extravaganza get too wild for you?”

“Actually, it wasn’t nearly wild enough,” she plays along, taking a step closer towards him. “What are you doing here, Jess?” Rory asks and he glances down at his feet before his eyes meet hers again.

“I came to see you,” he answers, and it’s his turn to take another step forward, “Because I’m told you did the same a few weeks back, so I figured the ball was in my court now. Isn’t that how it works?”

Rory is overwhelmed by just how _real_ this is, so much that her knees tremble, “Jess…”, she whispers and now they’re close enough that she can reach to touch his face, and he leans, pressing his forehead against hers, “I—”

Before she can even say anything, he kisses her, slow and tender. Rory rests a hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat quicken as she slips her tongue into his mouth, closing any window for doubt, and he puts an arm around her, pulling her closer. Their lips part for a moment, and Jess has a dazed look in his eye, as if he is trying to figure out whether this is real or not.

“I love you,” she tells him, _finally_, “I am _so_ in love with you, Jess. I’m just sorry it took me so long to say it back.”

“Come here,” Jess kisses her again before pulling away for a second, “I love you, too,” he whispers and Rory finally manages to catch her breath, even if barely.

“Let’s go upstairs,” she says, taking his hand into her own, “It’s freezing out here.”

“Is it?” He raises an eyebrow at her as that teasing smirk she fell in love with appears on his face, “I hadn’t noticed.”

Rory just rolls her eyes at him, without any heat, and then leads him toward the building by the hand.

Somehow, they make it to the apartment, their coats falling to the floor as the door slams shut behind them.

Jess pulls Rory up and her legs are wrapped around his waist; she unbuttons his shirt desperately, while his mouth makes its way down to her neck, making her gasp with every touch.

Kissing Jess is still just as intense, although now he doesn’t have to hesitate or feel like he’s tainting something pure when his hands ride up her dress and his fingers are met with the soft, bare skin of her thighs. They can finally give in to the anticipation, to this tension that has been building up between them for the better part of eighteen years, without holding back.

“_Bedroom_,” Rory nearly begs, her voice barely there as her feet touch the ground again, and Jess does as he’s told, except he chooses to carry her over to the other room.

He lays her down on the bed, still holding her close, then makes their lips meet again, gently, until she opens her mouth to him, deepening the kiss. Jess’ hands land on her hips, before he reaches for the zipper on the back of her dress. Jess slides it off of her and Rory pulls him in again, as his fingers linger on her waist and hers maintain a tight grip on his hair.

“What do you want?” He asks, his mouth hot against her ear.

“I only want you,” is all she manages to say back.

**

The clock strikes midnight and the church bells ring in the distance. Jess has his arms wrapped around Rory and his chin tucked over her shoulder. “Happy New Year,” he says, his voice soft, and she turns to face him, stroking the stubble on his cheek with her thumb.

“Happy New Year,” she whispers into his mouth before pressing her lips against his again.

Everything about tonight has felt like an out-of-body experience, and Jess still finds it hard to believe that this is actually real, that they have finally gotten the timing right.

But it _is_ real. He will wake up the next morning and he’ll still be holding Rory in his arms, feeling content, peaceful — something he’s been longing for his entire life, and hopes doesn’t go away anytime soon.


	19. The One With The Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jess and Rory go on their first date in over a decade, but the new relationship bliss might be tested when an unexpected someone shows up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone!! sorry if it's been too long since the last chapter, i haven't had much time to write because of school and studying for exams (gross) but hopefully i'll be able to focus on writing more as soon as i'm done with all that.  
i'd like to thank you all for reading and supporting this story, it means the world! hope you enjoy this chapter and see you in the next one <3

Rory slowly opens her eyes, adjusting to the sunlight coming in through the blinds. Jess keeps an arm wrapped around her as she rests her head on his chest, listening to the faint sound of his heart beating.

“Are you watching me sleep?” He suddenly asks in a whisper, narrowing his eyes at her.

She looks up at him with a grimace. “Maybe.”

“_Weirdo_,” Jess teases as he kisses the top of her head, and Rory can barely contain her smile, every bit of her body still tingly from the previous night’s events.

“Oh, shut up,” she sticks her tongue out at him and he just smirks, running a hand over her hair.

They fall silent for a moment. “So…” he clears his throat, a little hesitant, “What now?”

Rory takes a second to mull over his question. “I don’t know,” she shrugs, “I feel like my brain has yet to register that this is actually happening.”

“In a good or a bad way?”

“_Very_ good,” she assures him, lacing their fingers together.

“I guess…we could go on a date?” Jess suggests, “Just don’t expect me to put out. I have a three dates minimum rule,” he adds.

“_Right,_” Rory drawls, emphasizing the T like he often does. “But it’s New Year’s Day,” she points out, “Nothing’s open.”

The corners of his mouth quirk up, and the look on his face tells Rory that he is most likely up to something. “Well, I happen to know a place that’s open today.”

She shoots him a mock-stern look. “If you mean this bed, I am kicking you out.”

“Get your mind out of the gutter, Gilmore,” Jess _tsks,_ “I am talking about an actual place, that’ll remain a surprise until we get there tonight.”

“Tonight?” Rory raises an eyebrow at him, her eyes gleaming.

“That is, unless you have other plans.”

“I’d have to check my calendar,” she quips, “but I might be able to squeeze you in, yeah.”

“I’m a lucky man,” Jess says as he leans forward to kiss her, but before he has the chance to, the doorbell rings. “Are you expecting someone?”

“Oh, no,” Rory mutters to herself then practically leaps out of the bed, scrambling to find something to wear. “I’m pretty sure that’s my mom, so you have to hide, _now._”

“Why?” He cocks an eyebrow at her, “Are you embarrassed or something? ‘Cause you could do a lot worse. Need I remind you of the father of your child?”

“Hey!” Rory protests, putting a pin on her panicking to hit him with a pillow, “Just do it, please,” she insists, “I really don’t want her to find out about us like this, so go into the bathroom while I try to get her to leave, okay?”

“_Fine,_” Jess concedes, raising his hands in mock-surrender as he wraps a sheet around his waist and goes into the bathroom, making sure to close the door behind him.

Rory ties on her bathrobe, then rushes to the front door. She peers through the magic eye and sees Lorelai standing outside, staring at her phone, just like she thought.

“Hey, Mom,” she cracks the door open a little, keeping the door chain latched, “What’s up?”

“Just checking in,” her mother eyes her warily, “You left the party without saying goodbye and you haven’t been returning my calls, so I got a little worried.”

“Oh,” Rory nearly chokes, “My phone died and I just…passed out after I got home last night, so I didn’t really have time to charge it. But everything’s fine, promise.”

“Okay, as long as everything’s fine,” Lorelai relents, although she doesn’t look at all convinced. “So, are you going to let me in or…”

“You see, now isn’t exactly a good time,” she stammers, “Place is a mess, and I just woke up so there’s no coffee or anything and—”

“Wait,” the corners of Lorelai’s mouth quirk up into a knowing smile, “you don’t happen to have a boy over, do you?”

“Me?” Rory suddenly feels like her entire face is on fire, “_Please._ Of course not. Ha, you’re cracked. _Very_ funny, Mom.”

“No, then, huh?” Lorelai clicks her tongue as she puts her phone into her pocket, “So you’re saying that _isn’t_ Jess’ car I saw parked outside?”

_Shit. _“Look—” she tries, even though Rory _knows_ that nothing she could possibly come up with would be enough to fool her mother.

“Honey, I get it,” Lorelai tells her, “You were busy _getting_ busy. It’s okay, no need to explain.”

“Oh, my god!”

“Okay, wink if it was good, blink twice if it was great or touch your nose if it was amazing,” her mother says, and Rory scowls at her in response.

Rory then sighs and touches her nose with the tip of her index finger, just to indulge her. “Bye, now!” She calls before slamming the door closed, and Lorelai just laughs loudly as she’s leaving.

Jess then walks out of her room, now fully dressed and gives her a look, with the hint of a smirk on his face. “Couldn’t do it, huh?”

“Sorry I made you hide,” she grimaces, going over to where he’s standing, “I panicked.”

“Oh, I noticed.”

“Why did you get dressed?” Rory asks as she tugs on the hem of his shirt, and he raises a brow at her.

“Was I not allowed to get dressed?”

“No, you can get dressed,” she says, “You _should_ get dressed, or...”

Jess then pulls on the knot on her bathrobe’s belt, bringing her closer. “Or…what?” he whispers into her ear and Rory’s breath hitches.

She doesn’t respond but kisses him instead, slowly, before pulling away. “We should probably eat,” Rory chokes out, “Recharge, you know.”

“We could do that, yeah,” Jess bows his head a little, “or…”

He then lunges towards her, slipping an arm around her waist and drapes Rory over his shoulder, making her yelp in the process, before she bursts out laughing. “_Jess!_”

Jess carries her over to the bedroom and puts her down on the bed. Rory sits up and tries to ease her breathing back to normal, putting a hand to her chest.

“You okay there?” He checks, and she nods in response. “Good. Now, I’m gonna go make you breakfast.”

Rory frowns at him. “What? But I thought—”

“You only do want me for my body, don’t you?” Jess shakes his head, “I’m _partly_ offended.”

Before she can even respond, he exits the room and Rory can’t help but smile.

She’s finally where she’s supposed to be, and it feels good. Really good.

**

Jess parks in front of the store and looks through the glass to see if there’s anyone inside, but the place is a ghost-town.

He takes out his phone, hoping he still has the owner’s number saved, but before he can look through his contacts list, Jess gets a call from Matthew.

“_You son of a bitch!_” His friend exclaims the second he puts the phone to his ear, “_You did it!_”

“Hey, slow down,” Jess tells him, biting back a laugh, “I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.”

“_Hang on,_” Matthew grumbles, “_Okay, now you’re on speaker. I have Chris here, and Jenna is in the other room, but I know she’s eavesdropping,_” _Hey! _Jess hears her protest in the background, “Anyway,_ spill_.”

“_Yeah, man,_” Chris agrees, “_You are not getting away with not telling us what happened there last night, because we’ll keep calling until you do._”

“You two are way too invested into my love life, you know that, right?”

“_Stop deflecting!_” The two yell in unison.

“Okay, jeez,” Jess concedes, “I won’t get into detail, but… yes, Rory and I are now together, and that’s all you get.”

A round of unintelligible screams erupts on the other side of the line, so loudly that Jess has to put the phone away from his ear for a second.

“_Fucking finally!_” Matthew exhales sharply, “_I’ve witnessed this will-they, won’t-they for almost fourteen years now, and it paid off. I gotta tell you, I was starting to lose hope—_"

“_We both were._”

“_Right, we both were,_” he continues, “_But we’re proud of you, man. Seriously, you deserve this._”

“_I just hope that we get to witness that in person, though,_” Chris says, “_I know it’s still the honeymoon period, so you’ll probably stick around for a bit, but I gotta see it with my own two eyes sometime._”

“_Yep,_ _I second that._”

“Okay, we’ll see,” Jess retorts, the corners of his mouth quirking up into a small smile, “Thank you, guys, really. I appreciate the enthusiasm, I do, but—”

“_Jess, do _not_ listen to these two,_” Jenna cuts in, “_Take your time to enjoy this, and don’t even _think_ about rushing back. They mean well, but this codependency—_”

“_We are _not_ codependent!_” Matthew protests, “_Look, Jess is like our son—_”

“What?”

“_—and now that he’s left the nest and found love, we’re bound to be a little emotional, okay?”_

“_Oh, don’t be such a baby,_” Jess can almost picture Jenna rolling her eyes as she says this, “_but I mean, you’re right. You’re not codependent, you’re just _dependent_, it’s like you think your entire friendship will crumble if Jess is not around._”

“_I mean, it might, babe. He’s the _glue,” Chris points out.

“Okay, guys, enough,” Jess intervenes, “Matthew, Chris, I promise I’ll be back soon enough, and, by the way,” he tells them, “there’s no such thing as being the glue of the group, you guys have known each other for longer than I’ve known either of you, so you’ll be fine.”

“_Fine…_” his friends both sigh in response.

“Good. Now I have to go, but I’ll talk to you later, alright?”

“_Right, go be with your girlfriend,_” Matthew replies, “_Bye, Mariano._”

“Bye, guys,” Jess says before hanging up. He then lets out a small chuckle as he runs a hand over his chin. His friends are certifiably insane, but he’s lucky to have them.

Jess finds the contact for the shop owner and then glances back at the window, where _Literati Bookstore _is written in the glass. If everything goes according to plan — even if he’s not really a guy who plans things — tonight will be perfect.

**

“Let’s see if I understand,” Rory says as she struggles to fasten her seatbelt with the blindfold on, “You made food, and now we’re driving to a secret location to eat it, but I can’t know where it is until we get there?”

“Exactly,” Jess retorts, giving her a tap on the shoulder before he puts the car in reverse. “Look, I think the surprise will be worth it, so just hang on tight, and we’ll be right there.”

“You know, this doesn’t have to be a big deal,” she tells him, “I mean it _is_ a huge deal, us being together again, but I don’t need a fancy evening or anything. I only care about being with you.”

He then takes her hand into his own. “Same here,” Jess says, his voice soft, and even though Rory can’t see actually see it, he smiles.

It takes them about fifteen minutes to get to the bookstore. Jess kills the engine and grabs the takeout bags from the backseat before he gets out of the car and then circles over so he can get Rory’s door.

She loops her arm around his and lets him lead the way. The streets are empty and the lights on most of the buildings around are off, making it seem like they’re the only two people there.

Jess takes the key out of his pocket and they go in, him walking only a step behind her. “You can take the blindfold off now,” he tells her, and as she does, he reaches for the light switch, and the entire room is illuminated by strings of fairy lights.

Rory turns around to face him and without a word, she wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him slowly. Jess’ hands linger around her waist, and when they pull away, he notices the tears in her eyes, and a feeling of panic rises in his throat. “Hey, what’s wrong?” he asks, wiping away her tears with his thumb, “You don’t like it? I knew it, I overdid it and—”

“What? Jess, this, all of it, it’s… beautiful,” she assures him, cupping his cheek with one of her hands, “I was just surprised and got a little emotional, but I love it so much. And you.”

Jess sighs in relief, allowing himself to breathe again. “I love you,” he whispers, before making their lips meet again, “Now, come on, I still haven’t showed you the best part.”

He takes her hand and they walk to the back of the store, going past the many bookshelves, all of with hundreds of volumes lined up, and get to what used to be a reading space for kids, except it is now filled with pillows and blankets.

The two sit down on one of the blankets, with the food Jess prepared, and before they can start eating, he turns on the projector hooked up behind them, and as soon as it heats up, _Pride and Prejudice _begins to play. “You are unbelievable,” Rory tells him as she settles into his arms, “This is perfect.”

Jess doesn’t say anything, and just kisses the top of her head instead. He knows Rory doesn’t care about the big gestures, but just seeing the look on her face when the lights came on before made it all worth it.

**

They spend the night at the bookstore and drive back to Rory’s apartment the next morning.

As soon as they hop out of the car, her phone starts to ring in her pocket. Rory huffs and Jess puts an arm around her shoulders as they walk towards the building. “Guess the world had to find us eventually,” he says, and she manages a smile.

“Well, it was good while it lasted,” she half-shrugs then puts the phone to her ear, “Hello?”

“_Ace, hi,_” Logan’s voice comes in on the other side of the line, “_Did I wake you?_”

“Hey_,_” Rory runs a hand over her hair, “No, I’ve been up for a while. Is everything okay with Richie?”

“_Oh, yeah, it’s all good,_” he responds, “_Just calling to let you know that I might be later than expected to drop him off tonight, hope that’s okay._”

Rory still hasn’t quite gotten used to considerate, co-parent Logan, but it’s good to know he’s continuing to make an effort, even if it took them over two years to get there.

“No, that’s fine,” she tells him, “Just let me know when you’re leaving the city, okay?”

“_You got it. I’ll see you soon._”

“See you soon,” Rory says before hanging up, then puts her phone back into her pocket.

“Something wrong?” Jess checks.

“No, Logan was just letting me know he might get here a little later than he thought to drop Richie off,” she shakes her head, “It’s still weird, to see him involved like this. Or is it weird that I think that’s weird?”

“It’s not weird,” Jess assures her, “I mean, he _was_ out of the picture for a while. There’s bound to be some getting used to, right?”

“Yeah,” Rory bows her head a little, “Speaking of Logan, did you get a chance to talk to him at Thanksgiving? I was so wrapped up in trying to figure out why you were avoiding me that day, that I forgot I had to keep you two off each other’s throats.”

“I was not—” he tries to argue but knows it’s no use when Rory shoots him a skeptical look, “Okay, fine, I was avoiding you, but as you now know, I had my reasons.”

“Mm, fair enough.”

“But yeah, I did talk to him,” Jess says, “He came to talk to me, actually, and said he was sorry for what happened at the party. I thought it was strange, to say the least, but accepted the guy’s apology anyway.”

Her eyes go wide. “Logan apologized?”

“Yep.”

“Huh. Maybe he _has_ changed.”

Jess shrugs. “Weirder things have happened.”

“So, are you two buddies now?” Rory teases, giving his arm a slight push and Jess scowls at her in response.

“Hey, don’t push it,” he retorts, and she just laughs as they go into the building.

**

“Why did I agree to this again?” Jess asks as they near the house, stopping with his foot on the first step and their fingers still intertwined.

“Because I asked you to,” Rory replies, “and… you love me.”

He lets out a sigh. “There’s still time to run, but as soon as we get to that front door, it’s over,” Jess tells her gravely, fixing his eyes on hers, “We’ll be subjected to endless questioning and knowing your mother, it _will_ get inappropriate.”

Rory hesitates for a second. When she suggested going by the house and tell her mom and Luke that they’re together, Rory didn’t consider that they’ll probably have to recount everything that’s happened in the last couple of days, and a lot of it involves things that she’d much, _much_ rather they kept to themselves.

But before they can make a run for it, the front door swings open. “There you are!” Lorelai waves at the two, with a grin that tells them that she’ll be enjoying every second of what, for them, will be torture. “Oh, don’t be shy, come in!”

Dragging their feet, Jess and Rory go up the stairs and follow Lorelai into the house.

They hang their coats in the foyer, then go over to the living room and sit down on the couch, feeling like they’re seventeen and are about to be lectured and then forbidden to hang out at the apartment above the diner unsupervised again (even if that lecture didn’t exactly take at the time).

“Luke! They’re here!” Lorelai calls over her shoulder as she returns from the kitchen with cold beers in hand.

Her husband enters the room and his jaw drops. “I don’t believe it,” Luke shakes his head, and he is _grinning, _“I thought you were joking earlier,” he says, turning to Lorelai, “but they _really_ are together. You two are together!”

“That we are,” Rory nods, putting a hand on Jess’ knee, “So we came here to tell you. Officially.”

“Right,” Jess croaks when Rory elbows his arm to get him to stop staring at Luke, but, in his defense, anyone would find his uncle smiling that much disconcerting, “So, there you go,” he adds, clasping his hands together.

“Oh, damn it,” Lorelai suddenly groans, folding her arms over her chest as she turns to Luke, “I almost forgot, this means _you_ win the bet.”

Rory and Jess both frown. “What bet?” she asks, “What are you talking about?”

“Well…” her mother grimaces, “Luke and I kind of have – or had – an ongoing bet, that started when… we saw the two of you dancing at our wedding.”

“Just to clarify, I was coerced into taking part in it,” Luke says.

“No, you weren’t!” His wife protests, “It was _your_ idea!”

“_Excuse me?_” Jess exclaims, pretending to be absolutely scandalized, then nudges Rory to follow his lead. “Just go with it,” he mouths.

“Yes, how dare you!” She raises a finger at her mother and Luke, “Betting on our relationship like this?” Rory clicks her tongue, feigning disappointment, “I expected this from Mom, but, _et tu_ Luke?”

“Hey!”

“Look, just calm down and let us explain,” Luke intervenes, “It’s not as bad as it sounds.”

“It _sounds_ bad,” Jess retorts, crossing his arms and Rory does the same.

“It’s not!” Lorelai tells them, “We saw the two of you dancing, then Luke said: _What about those two? Do you think they’ll ever get together? _and I took a bite of my hot dog, shrugged, and said: _Eh, I don’t know_—”

“Gee, thanks,” Rory snorts, this time not as part of the bit.

“Oh, come on,” her mother says, “I changed my mind later, didn’t I? Anyway, back to the story. I said: _Eh, I don’t know _and Luke went: _I think they’re one of those couples with a long story and end up together in the end—”_

Jess knits his eyebrows together. “Isn’t that a line from _The Office?_”

“Oh, yeah!” Rory half-gasps, “Michael said something like that when—”

“Not the point here, guys!” Lorelai continues, “So Luke said that, and I said: _Mm, maybe _and that’s when he asked if I wanted to make this interesting,” she overenunciates that last part, using air quotes, “and that’s how the bet started. He was for, I was against, and whoever lost would owe the other twenty bucks.”

Rory and Jess share a look, then turn to Luke and Lorelai again. “Okay,” he says, reaching for one of the beers on the coffee table, “Still feel like this is a little messed up on your part, but it could be worse.”

“Yeah, I mean…” Rory shrugs, “We probably would’ve done the same, so.”

“So you’re not mad?” Lorelai checks with the slight raise of an eyebrow.

“Nope,” the two say at the same time.

“Although…”

“Although… what?” Luke demands.

“I think that since we were the object of this little wager of yours,” Jess tells them, “It’s only fair that we get to see it end, right?”

Lorelai sighs, letting her shoulders sag. “_Fine,_ I’ll go get my wallet,” she says, and the others can’t help but laugh.

**

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Rory says as they walk back to her apartment, with both her arms wrapped around Jess’.

“It could have been worse, yes,” he admits and before she can brag about being right, a familiar looking car pulls up in front of her building, and Rory forces them into a stop.

“What?” Jess asks, following her glance over to where the midnight blue Maserati is parked, and when Logan steps out of the car, he gets it. “Oh, _that._ Listen, if you want me to go—”

“Of course not,” Rory tells him, “We’re together now, Jess and I’m not going to hide that, especially not from…_Logan,” _she scrunches up her nose as she says his name, “and if this, for whatever reason, bothers him, then he’ll just have to deal.”

Jess gives her a quick kiss. “Let’s go,” he says.

“Oh,” Logan frowns at the sight of Jess, and his jaw ticks a little when he notices how closely he and Rory are standing, “Hey, Jess. Didn’t know you were in town.”

“Hey,” Jess gives him a nod, trying his best not to come off defensive, even though that’s a challenge when it comes to Logan, “Yeah, I got back a couple days ago.”

“New Year’s Eve, huh?”

“Yep.”

“Great, we all know how a calendar works,” Rory cuts in, putting on a tight smile, “Now, how was Richie? Did he give you any trouble?”

“Not at all,” Logan responds, “I told you he was a little homesick at first and kept asking for you, but after you called that morning, everything was fine.”

“I’m glad,” she says, easing up a little, “Now, where is he? I miss him.”

“He is asleep,” he then opens the door to backseat, and Richie is sleeping with his head back in the car seat, snoring softly. Rory unbuckles the seat, and pulls her son into her arms, kissing the top of his head.

“Uh, could you take him upstairs, please?” She asks Jess and he nods before promptly taking Richie into his arms. “Thanks.”

He raises a hand at Logan as to say goodbye and goes inside, fixing Richie’s hat so his ears won’t get cold, which makes a slight smile appear on Rory’s face.

“So,” Logan says as she turns to face him again, “You two are a thing now?”

“Yes,” Rory retorts, a little annoyed at his wording, “We’re together.”

He buries his hands into his coat pockets, pressing his lips into a fine line. “That’s good,” Logan tells her after a beat, although only part of him means it, “You look happy, so… I’m happy for you. Truly.”

She has her doubts about that but doesn’t argue. “Thanks, Logan.”

“I should get going,” he says, reaching for the door handle, “Still gotta get to my folks’ place.”

“Okay,” Rory spares a weak smile, “Drive safe.”

“Bye, Ace,” Logan smiles back and then touches her arm before getting into the car. She walks to the sidewalk and watches as he drives away.

Rory heads up to the apartment, and Jess is waiting for her in the living room when she gets there. She hangs her coat by the door and goes over to the living room, plopping down on the couch beside him, her legs draped over his lap.

“How’d it go?” Jess asks, and Rory sighs.

“Could’ve been worse,” she replies, “He said he’s happy for me, but I know Logan. Part of him will always think that he and I are supposed to be together or something.”

“And how do you feel about that?”

“I don’t,” Rory tells him with a shrug, “I mean, I _know_ who I’m supposed to be with. There’s no question about that.”

A genuine smile spreads across Jess’ face. “Come here,” he says, and Rory smiles too as he pulls her into a kiss.

There’s no guarantee that things will always be this easy, but no matter what happens, Rory meant what she said. She knows they’re meant to be, if there is such a thing, and nothing will ever change that.


	20. The One Where School is Back in Session

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory's first day back at Chilton after the winter break doesn't go exactly as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone!! hope you're all doing good and ready for an update :) sorry it's taken me a while to post, i just really haven't had the motivation to write lately but hopefully that'll change soon. i hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think! see you all in the next one x

Rory takes a look around as they walk into the daycare. The walls are pale blue and there are children’s drawings displayed all over, along with a set of colorful beanbag chairs serving as some sort of makeshift waiting room. “Are you sure we’re in the right place?” Jess nods at the unattended front desk, “There’s no one here.”

“There is only one daycare in Stars Hollow, Jess,” she says, “I’m sure whoever’s supposed to be at reception just stepped out to go to the bathroom or something.”

“You know, I could watch him for you,” he tells her as he smooths Richie’s hair over with his palm, his lips quirking up into a small smile, “It’s not like I have anything else going on.”

“Again, it’s really sweet of you to offer,” Rory replies, “But I think it’ll be good for him to spend time with other kids, y’know? I feel like I’ve been sheltering him too much.”

“Alright, fair enough,” Jess concedes, putting an arm around her, and Rory smiles.

“Ah, welcome to Stars Hollow’s best and only daycare!” Kirk exclaims as he emerges from the other room, “And you two, together at last,” he coos before taking a seat in his chair, “I knew I was right to have been on team Jess. I would’ve made t-shirts, but then Lionel from _Lionel’s Online T-shirt Company _beat me to it. The bastard.”

Rory and Jess share a confused look, but almost telepathically come to the decision of simply chalking that up to Kirk being Kirk, and also not to ask who on Earth is Lionel and why would he be selling team Jess shirts.

“Uh, hey Kirk,” Rory clears her throat, “Are you okay? You seem better, but I haven’t really seen you since—”

“I tore my scrotum on New Year’s Eve?” Kirk guesses, and Jess has to do his best not to laugh.

“That sounds…” he chokes out, “Painful.”

Rory elbows his arm, even though she’s having a hard time keeping a straight face as well. “I was going to say injured your crotch, but…sure.”

“Oh, right. Less technical. I’m doing okay, thanks,” Kirk responds, “Well, except for the fact that I am in excruciating pain whenever I walk, sit or move in general,” he shakes his head, “At least now I know death drops should be left to the professionals, on _RuPaul’s Drag Race._”

“_Anyway,_” Rory says pointedly, seeing that Jess won’t be able to keep himself from laughing much longer, “We just came to drop Richie off for the day, and I wanted to confirm, pick-up is at six, right?”

“Six, yes,” Kirk confirms, “And don’t worry, Rory, we will take the best care of your little angel. Now you can just hand him to me and be on your way.”

Rory then finds herself holding Richie even tighter. Jess turns to her, his brows furrowed, and he looks _way_ too amused. “Yeah, Ror. Hand him over to Kirk,” he nudges her, and she takes a step back.

“_I don’t want to,_” Rory mumbles under her breath.

“Something wrong?” Kirk frowns, then grunts when he shifts in his chair a little, “Darn it.”

“Just a sec,” Jess says to him before leading Rory to a spot by the door, his hand on the small of her back, so they’re out of earshot.

“What’s going on?” he asks, forcing her to look at him, “What happened to_ ‘I’m sheltering him too much’ _and meeting other kids?”

“I don’t know, okay?” Rory half-whispers, “It was fine until I realized Kirk would be the one watching my child. The man who lost his pet pig at the Spring Fling festival inside the hay bale maze and then she was never found. What the hell happened to Petal, Jess?”

“Look, relax,” Jess tells her, “He said _we_ before, didn’t he? Which means Lulu or someone else competent enough to watch the kids is back there making sure none of them are the new Petal, so you have nothing to worry about.”

She lets out a sigh. “Are you sure?” 

“Positive,” he replies, “Now come on, you can do it. It’s just a few hours and if something happens by any chance, I can be here in less than five minutes to get him home.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Okay,” Rory breathes deeply, “let’s do this.”

They walk back to reception and Kirk hops off his chair as quickly as possible in his condition. “Are we all good now?” he asks as Rory hands Richie over to him.

She manages a small smile. “Yeah, we’re good,” Rory tells him before turning to her son, “Bye, honey. Mommy will be back to pick you up later, okay?”

“Bye, Mama,” Richie then waves at her, which makes Rory whimper a little. Jess notices her starting to change her mind and clears his throat.

“Let’s go,” he says, throwing an arm over Rory’s shoulders, “Come on.”

The two say goodbye to Kirk and Richie and head out. “See, that wasn’t so hard,” Jess nudges her as they walk past the front doors, and Rory shrugs.

“Maybe I was being a _little_ dramatic,” she scrunches up her nose a little, pinching her thumb and index finger closer together, and that makes Jess smile.

“Just a little,” he agrees, nodding slightly, “Now, you excited for your first day back, teach?”

“Yeah,” Rory replies, then huffs, “Except for the fact that I might have to see Andrew again. I’m still mad at how he… _used_ me like that. Although throwing that glass of water at his face was very cathartic.”

“I’m sure it’s going to be fine,” Jess assures her, “He’ll probably avoid you at all costs anyway. The guy seems like the type to do that.”

“Hope so,” she says before they start walking again, heading towards Luke’s. “Anyway, what are your plans for the day?” Rory asks, tugging on Jess’ arm.

“Just gonna help out at the diner and then maybe look over at some manuscripts if I get the chance,” he says, “So, as you can see, I have _a lot_ going on.”

“Sounds like it,” Rory smirks, then her expression turns a bit more serious. “What about writing? I don’t think I’ve really seen you write since you got here. That is, unless you’ve been doing it secretly.”

Jess then brings them to a stop as they’re about to cross the street. “About that…” he presses his lips together into a fine line, “I have to tell you something.”

“Tell me what?”

“I… finished the book,” Jess admits, and Rory’s eyes go wide. “Victoria is still editing it, so it’s not _done_ done, but—”

“Jess!” She gasps, looking absolutely stunned, “That’s- that’s amazing!”

“Okay, you can put the pom poms down now, Gilmore,” he teases, and Rory hits his arm in response, even though there’s still a big grin on her face.

“Hey, stop trying to sell yourself short, mister,” she raises a finger at him, “This is an accomplishment, and accomplishments need to be celebrated, so, anything you want to do tonight, we’ll do it.”

A sly smile appears on Jess’ face. “_Anything,_ huh?”

“I set myself up for that one, I see that now,” Rory nods, “but _that_ can’t be it. Think bigger, Mariano.”

“I’m more than okay with that being it, actually.”

“Well, it doesn’t count since it was going to happen anyway,” she insists, “Pick something and then let me know. And I won’t take no for an answer, either.”

“Ugh, _fine,_” he sighs, then laces their fingers together as they take off walking again, “I promise I’ll think something else.”

“_Good,_” Rory says before she leans up to give him a kiss on the cheek.

They arrive at the diner and Rory checks the time on her phone, and as it turns out, she won’t have time to get her coffee fix from Luke’s before work after all. “I should get going,” she tells Jess, “Don’t wanna be late for my first day back.”

“Already?” He checks and she just shrugs as to say _what can you do, right? “_At least let me get you a cup of coffee to go. Can’t let you go through a 30-minute drive without any coffee in your system.”

“Thank you,” Rory smiles, then follows him into the diner.

Jess pulls the pot from the coffeemaker and then pours the coffee into a large to-go cup. He hands it to her and Rory leans over the counter to kiss him. Her hand lingers on his neck after they break apart and part of her really wishes she didn’t have to go.

“I’ll see you later,” she says, then kisses him again.

“See you later,” a smirk tugs on Jess’ lips as they pull away, “Have a good first day back.”

“Thanks, Jess,” Rory replies, heading towards the door, “And remember to pick something, okay?” She reminds him as she looks over her shoulder.

He rolls his eyes at her but doesn’t look any less amused. “I will. Now, beat it.”

Rory lets out a small laugh and then waves at him before she leaves the diner, being met with the cold winter air outside.

She exhales sharply. Guess it’s time to go back to reality.

**

The Chilton parking lot is covered with ice, so Rory has to be extra careful not to accidentally slip and fall. She thinks back to her first day as a teacher there, when everything was still so uncertain and nothing short of terrifying, but that feeling isn’t there anymore. It’s like things have finally fallen into place and are exactly as they should be.

She goes in, and makes her way to the teacher’s lounge, finding a group of her colleagues standing together in a huddle, their voices hushed, but not so quiet that Rory can’t hear what they’re saying.

“The board is meeting right now,” Maureen, the History teacher who also happens to have hit on Jess at the homecoming dance, whispers gravely. “I don’t know much, but I do know that someone is getting fired.”

“Who’s getting fired?” Rory asks, startling the others.

“Oh, Rory, good! You’re here,” Jill, another English teacher and her only friend at the school (sort of) says, “Haven’t you heard?”

“Heard what?” She frowns, “Sorry, I just got here, and I overheard—”

“So you _haven’t_ heard…” Jill’s expression turns somewhat solemn. “Andrew is gone. He packed up his things and accepted a job to teach in California! But that’s not even the worst part—”

“What?” Rory can barely contain the shocked look on her face, “Andrew left?” _Coward,_ she thinks to herself bitterly. Jess was right, he _is_ the type to run and hide, instead of sticking around to face the music. How predictable.

“Yep, he gave Charleston his two-weeks notice out of nowhere, then _poof! _He’s gone.”

“Wow. And no one knows _why_ he left?”

“Nope, not a clue.”

“Huh,” Rory folds her arms over chest, “That’s…strange.”

“Right?” Jill exclaims, “Anyway, Maureen heard that the school board called a meeting because apparently some parents are looking to have one of the teachers fired, so we’re trying to figure out who it is.”

Rory’s stomach drops. Alex’s mother’s words suddenly echo in the back of her head, and they don’t seem to be as empty a threat anymore.

“That’s…” She can’t even form a sentence as a feeling of panic rises in her throat, and her entire body stiffens.

Jill furrows her eyebrows at her with concern. “Rory? You okay?”

“Ah, there you are, Miss Gilmore,” Headmaster Charleston calls as he enters the room, his expression unreadable. “Would you mind coming with me for a moment?”

She swallows, trying to ease up. “Sure,” Rory says, and then follows the headmaster out.

“Let’s go for a walk,” he tells her, and she just nods in turn.

They walk through the empty hallways with an excruciating silence hanging over them, until Headmaster Charleston stops in front of one of the classrooms. “From what I gather, you have an idea of why I needed to speak with you, correct?”

“Well, I can assume it doesn’t involve me getting a raise,” Rory retorts and regrets it almost immediately. She tends to get quippy when she’s nervous.

“Ever since the day I met you, Miss Gilmore, you’ve shown great promise,” Headmaster Charleston begins, “If I recall correctly, you told me that you wanted to make sure that you saw…something. And I don’t know if you have, in fact, gotten there but—”

“Wait, stop!” Alex suddenly comes rushing towards them, sounding very out of breath. “You can’t do this.”

“Miss Becker, I—”

“No, you have to listen!” The girl cuts in, “I don’t know what my parents told you, but you can’t fire her. She’s the only teacher in this school who actually cares!”

“Alex…” Rory tries as tears begin to pool in her eyes. She glances over at the headmaster, and judging by the look on his face, it’s too late.

“My dear girl, I appreciate what you’re doing, but I’m afraid my hands are tied,” Charleston attempts to reason with her, “Believe me, if I had a choice—”

“That’s bullshit!” Alex snaps. “You _run_ the school! My parents and whoever they’ve roped into joining their ridiculous coup may contribute with some hefty donations, but they don’t have any real power. _You_ do.”

“Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. The board has made their decision, and I have no power to veto it,” he tells her, and something tells Rory that he means it, “I’m very sorry, but there is nothing else I can do.”

Silence hovers over the three of them, and it’s almost like time stands still. “Miss Gilmore…” Headmaster Charleston turns to Rory, his voice soft, and she does her best to try and swallow the lump in her throat.

“It’s okay,” she says, even though it’s not okay. It’s far from okay. But it doesn’t seem like there’s anything either of them can do.

“I’ll leave you two to talk,” he nods and then walks away, soon disappearing into the hallway.

“I am _so_ sorry,” Alex sniffles, trying not to cry, “This is all my fault. You wanted to help me, and now—”

“Hey, look at me,” Rory tells her as Alex’s eyes dart over to her shoes, “None of this is your fault. Is it unfair? Yes. But there’s nothing you or I could’ve done. So, please, don’t beat yourself up because of this, okay?”

She then pulls Alex into a tight hug, and the girl finally breaks, beginning to sob quietly into her shoulder.

“You know what the worst part is?” Alex says as they part, “I was actually looking forward to coming to school today, ‘cause I would get to tell you that I won that stupid writing contest.”

“Alex!” Rory exclaims, an overwhelming sense of pride washing over her, “That is amazing! I mean—”

“It doesn’t matter, though,” the girl blows a strand of hair away from her face, “You were still fired, all because _my_ parents can’t handle it when somebody tells them the truth. So it kind of feels like all of this work was for nothing.”

“Hey, it was not for nothing!” she insists, “I am so proud of you, Alex. And about me getting fired… there’s nothing we can do about that. It’s just one of those things, you know. I’ll find another job, and everything will be fine.”

Alex bows her head a little, pressing her lips together. “It’s gonna suck not having you around, though.”

“I know,” Rory manages a small smile, “but even so, whatever you need, I’m only one phone call away. Or a text because I know how much teenagers hate talking on the phone.”

The girl smiles back, then narrows her eyes ever-so-slightly. “Does anyone really like talking on the phone, though?”

“Good point,” Rory says, “Now, what do you say we go get some pie to celebrate? It’s a comfort food, plus…it’s delicious.”

Alex raises an eyebrow at her. “You mean cutting school?”

“Ah, almost forgot about that,” she grimaces, “After school, then. How’s that sound?”

“Sounds good,” Alex nods, fidgeting with her coat’s sleeves. She pauses for a second, then goes in for another hug, which is unexpected, but much appreciated anyway. “I guess I should get to class, huh?”

“You do that,” Rory tells her. “See you later.”

“See you later, Miss G,” she says before walking away, leaving Rory all alone in the hallway.

Rory reaches for her phone in her pocket and then steels herself before dialing Jess’ number but ends up getting his voicemail instead. “_This is Jess Mariano. Leave a message _and _I might get back to you soon,_” her breath hitches when his voice comes in, even though it’s only a recording, and Rory can’t keep herself from crying much longer, so she just hangs up.

This is it. Rory had finally gotten her life together, only to go back to feeling like a complete and utter failure, because let’s face it, maybe she is one. Teaching was her _backup_ plan, and even that didn’t work out, so what is she supposed to do now?

She is thirty-five and has a kid to think about, along with a newly signed lease on an apartment she most likely won’t be able to afford for long. Rory is aware of how dramatic this sounds, but if a hole opened on the ground and swallowed her in the process, that still wouldn’t be the worst part of this day.

Rory scoffs to herself. And to think she thought this would be a day of celebrations…

**

The rest of the day goes by surprisingly fast. Rory takes the time to gather her things and then has to stop by human resources to discuss severance pay and whatnot, but truth be told, she can barely listen to a word the woman is saying.

Then, of course, Rory sits in her car and just cries, as an attempt to let it all out before she can take Alex out to celebrate. Even if _her_ life is falling apart, that doesn’t mean an accomplishment like that should go uncelebrated.

The school bell rings, and then the two of them head to this Math themed pie place called _The Size of Pi_ and stuff their faces with pretty much everything on the menu.

Alex isn’t surprised when Rory tells her she’s with Jess now. “Please, I _knew_ it the second I saw the two of together at that dance,” she says, and Rory has to assume that’s Alex for ‘_I’m happy for you’_.

They talk about nothing really pressing while different types of pie flow in and out of their table, until a serious look dawns on the girl’s face. “Hey, what do you think of Providence?” She asks, and Rory pauses with a forkful of pie mid-air, frowning at her.

“Providence? What’s in Providence?”

“My grandma,” Alex replies as she plays with what’s left of her slice of the pecan pie, “I might ask to move there with her. I know it’s a long shot but… I think I could be happier there. You know, away from my psycho parents.”

“I think you should do whatever’s best for you,” Rory tells her simply, “and that does sound like a good idea. Plus, from what I’ve heard, Boston University has a pretty great writing program.”

Alex seems to quirk up at that. “Boston, huh?”

Rory take a sip of her glass of Coke, a slight smile tugging on her lips. “Think about it.”

When Alex steps away to go to the bathroom, Rory gets a call from Jess. “Hello?” she swallows, putting the phone to her ear.

“Hey,” he says, “I saw you tried to call me, but my phone died, and I completely forgot to charge it. Anyway, is everything okay?”

Now there’s a loaded question. “Yeah, everything’s fine,” she replies, and Rory hates lying to him, but if she does admit that everything is, in fact, not okay, there is a big chance she will start full-on sobbing in the middle of a restaurant with a name that is not even a very clever pun, and Rory would like to keep _some_ of her dignity, at least.

“Uh, actually, could you pick Richie up for me?” she clears her throat after a beat, “I think I might get stuck in traffic, so I might not make it in time.”

“Sure, no problem,” Jess responds, then pauses for a second. “Hey, you sure you’re okay?” he asks, and Rory sighs. He knows her too well.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” she assures him. “I’ll see you later, okay? Love you.”

“Okay, just thought I’d check,” he says, but doesn’t sound at all convinced. “Love you, too. I’ll see you soon.”

Rory takes another shaky breath. “Bye,” is all she manages to say before hanging up. The last thing she wants is for Jess to worry, but hopefully, he’ll just take her word for it and let it go.

“Just got a text from ol’ Mommy Dearest,” Alex says as she returns from the bathroom, “which means I should probably get going.”

“Right, it is getting kind of late,” Rory nods. “I’m really glad we did this, though. Winning thar contest is a _tremendous_ deal, and I hope you know that.”

“I know,” the girl smiles in response, “Thank you for this, and for…everything. I’m not the best at this mushy-feely stuff, but—”

“You’re doing good, don’t worry,” Rory tells her. “Oh, and hey, I hope things work out with your grandma. Sometimes all you need is a change of scenery, right?”

“Right,” Alex replies, burying her hands into her pockets. “Okay, so I should…” she trails off, her eyes darting over to the exit.

Rory then pulls her into a quick hug, and Alex pats her back a bit awkwardly before fully giving in. “Drive safe, okay?”

“You, too,” Alex says with a slight nod, before starting to head towards the door, “Bye, Rory.”

“Bye, Alex.”

**

When Jess gets back to the apartment, all the lights are off, but he can still hear quiet sobs coming from the living room. He puts Richie down and lets him go to his room, before switching the lights on.

Rory is sitting on the couch, hugging her knees, and looks up when she sees him approach. “Hey, hey,” Jess sits down next to her, pulling her into his arms, “what’s wrong?”

She just sniffles, wiping away the tears from her eyes. “I-I got fired today,” Rory tells him, and Jess holds her even closer while she cries into his chest.

“It’s going to be okay,” he tells her, running a hand over her hair, “We’ll figure it out, I promise.”

Ever since their phone call earlier, Jess knew something was off, and maybe he should’ve tried harder to get her to talk to him, but at least he gets to be there for her now. Knowing Rory, she probably feels like she’s failed, like this is it for her, even though nothing about this is not in her control.

Jess needs to do something for her, though. He just needs time to figure out _what_, exactly.

Rory then insists that she doesn’t want to talk about it yet, because if she does, she’ll just start crying again and according to her, she’s done enough of that for today. Jess doesn’t push, and just sits there with her until she eventually ends up falling asleep in his arms.

He carries her over to her room and puts a blanket over her and hopes that a good night’s sleep will make her feel a little bit better. As Jess is about to leave the room, though, an idea hits him. It’s probably crazy, and an extremely long shot, or maybe just crazy enough to work.

Jess reaches for his phone in his pocket, and then goes through his contact list for his friend’s Matthew’s boyfriend Benjamin’s number. He taps the call button, but ends up getting his voicemail, so he just leaves a message after the tone.

“Hey, Ben. Any chance that there are any job openings at the Inquirer? Please call me back and let me know, okay?” Jess pauses for a second, “Oh, this is Jess, by the way. Jess Mariano,” he adds as an afterthought, even though it comes out a bit awkward, then hangs up.

He lets out a sigh. “And now we wait,” Jess says to himself as he puts the phone back into his pocket.

**


	21. The One With the Dinner Party From Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things take a turn when Liz invites Jess and Rory to dinner at her house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all!! hope you're all well and ready for another chapter. this is a fun one, so i hope you enjoy! please let me know what you think, and happy reading x

“Okay, so I picked up the dry-cleaning, bought stamps, stopped by Doose’s for groceries and… I think that’s it,” Rory lists out as soon as she walks through the door, with bags from the cleaners hanging from her arm and a paper bag overflowing with groceries in hand.

“Ah, but you forgot something,” Jess tells her, putting his book down to go over to help her and a confused look dawns on Rory’s face.

“No, I think I checked everything on my list,” she frowns, “I am pretty sure that—”

“You forgot to _breathe,_” Jess supplies as he takes the Doose’s bag from her hands, before giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Rory just rolls her eyes at him in turn, a small smile tugging on her lips. “Ha-ha, very funny,” she deadpans, following Jess into the kitchen. He sets the bag down on the counter then turns around to face her, his brows slightly furrowed.

“Hey, uh, are you… okay? With everything?” He asks, sounding concerned. Rory puts the dry-cleaning bags on one of the chairs at the table and presses her lips together for a second, trying to find an answer to that question that will sound somewhat genuine.

“Yeah,” Rory nods, not quite looking him in the eye, “I know I said we were going to talk about it when I was ready but…” she inhales deeply, “If I talk to you about it… then it’s real. _Too_ real, and I can’t do it. At least not yet.”

“I get it, I do,” Jess says, then takes a step towards her, forcing Rory to look at him. “But do you really think that avoiding it all will help solve anything?” 

“I don’t know, Jess,” she shakes her head, “Maybe not, but this is just how I deal with things, and I thought you understood that.”

“Your way of dealing with things is _not_ dealing with them?”

Rory scoffs in response. “You’re one to talk.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. Forget it.”

“No, say it,” Jess insists, crossing his arms over his chest. “If we’re going to do this right, that means we’re gonna have to be honest with each other, so have at it. Whatever it is you need to say, just say it.”

“What I meant was that you of all people shouldn’t be lecturing me on avoiding my problems, when you have avoided _so_ much for _so_ long. I mean, you should write a book on _that_ next time.”

He exhales sharply. “Nice burn.”

His reaction catches Rory off guard, making her inadvertently ease up a little. “Thanks,” she mutters.

“Is that it?” Jess raises a brow at her, and Rory just shrugs. “Okay,” he says with a slight nod, “That’s good. And you’re right, I do tend to avoid dealing with things and I know that was one of the reasons that set me, set _us_ up to fail, but that’s me, Ror. It’s not you.”

“Well, maybe I have that same tendency.”

“No, you’re better than that,” he tells her firmly, “And, deep down, you know that, too.”

Rory’s eyes dart over to her shoes, and she lets out a sigh. “I don’t feel like I know anything anymore. I mean, how did any of this even happen? I had a job I loved, or at least thought I did, and then everything just…fell apart.”

“Life throws curveballs at you like that sometimes, but you can’t let it hold you back. You are, by far, the most capable person I know, and I’m sure you’ll find another job you love, and you’ll be great at it.”

“Thanks,” she says, despite not sounding at all convinced, “but that has become incredibly hard to believe, and I’m… fairly certain that the problem is me.”

“Hey, quit it with the self-deprecating thing. It doesn’t become you.”

Rory drops her hands to her sides, letting her shoulders sag. “It’s just where I’m at right now.”

“For what it’s worth,” Jess tells her, “I have a feeling your luck will change soon. You got dealt a bad hand, sure, but that doesn’t mean you should give up. Just that you gotta keep playing and see where that leads you.”

Wordlessly, she pulls him into a hug, gripping onto the fabric of his shirt. “I’m sorry,” Rory tells him, her voice soft. “I shouldn’t have lashed out on you like that. It wasn’t fair and—”

The hint of a smile appears on his face. “Eh, don’t worry about it,” Jess waves a dismissive hand at her, “As long as you can get that off your chest.”

“I don’t want you to feel like I resent you or anything,” she sighs, taking one of his hands into her own, “because I really, _really_ don’t. You’ve grown so much, Jess, and I shouldn’t be holding what you did or didn’t do against you, not after everything.”

“I honestly wouldn’t blame you if you did,” he responds. “But… I guess we still have the rest of our lives for you to resent me.”

His words make her eyes glisten. “Rest of our lives, huh?” Rory lifts a brow at him as she throws her arms around his neck, the corners of her lips quirking up into a slight smirk.

“I know,” Jess bows his head a little, “That kind of slipped out.”

“You can’t take it back. It’s out there now.”

Jess looks up at the ceiling and then back at her. “And how does it sound?” he asks, a bit hesitant. Even now, his insecurities have a way of sneaking up on him. He knows Rory loves him, but it feels like part of him will always be waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“It sounds… _perfect,_” she says, bringing one of her hands down to his face. “That is, unless you get sick of me before then.”

He just leans in and kisses her in turn, before pulling back, giving her one of his rare smiles. “Trust me, the odds of that ever happening are slim to none.”

Rory narrows her eyes at him. “Mm, there’s still a possibility there,” she teases.

Jess lets out a chuckle, shaking his head. “You are impossible.”

“Yet, you still love me, right?”

“Yes,” he nods, “very much so.”

**

Rory is sitting in bed reading, when Jess walks in, looking like he’s just seen a ghost. He sets the bag he brought over from the apartment with some of his stuff, then turns to her. “I have very bad news,” he announces gravely, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

“What happened?” she asks, her brows furrowed with concern.

“So, I went over to the apartment, right?” Jess says and Rory just nods, “Now, what I didn’t know, however, was that I was going to be _ambushed._”

“Ambushed?” Rory frowns, “By whom?”

“_Liz,_” he grumbles, taking off his boots, “and that’s all because _Luke_ doesn’t know how to keep his mouth shut.”

“Uh, I’m not sure I follow. What does Luke have to do with any of this? Also, was Liz just sitting in the dark, waiting for you at the apartment? ‘Cause, no offense, that’s a little creepy.”

“No one was sitting in the dark, but both of them _were_ waiting for me upstairs,” Jess explains, “Luke accidentally told Liz that we’re together now, and naturally, now she wants to get involved, so we are coming to dinner tomorrow night.”

“Uh, I’ve met your mother before, several times. Does she need to re-meet me now that I’m your girlfriend?”

“Apparently.”

“Oh,” Rory scrunches up her nose a little, trying to see the bright side of things, “Maybe it won’t be that bad. It’s just dinner, right? We’ll go, we’ll eat, talk, and then leave. Doesn’t really sound like that big of a deal.”

“I guess…” Jess lets out a deep sigh, “I don’t know, I—”

Rory moves over to sit next to him, resting a hand on his shoulder. “Look, if you’re afraid that this might scare me off or something, think again,” she tells him as he turns to look at her, “The only thing I’m sure of right now, is that I want to be with you, no matter what. Okay?”

The ghost of a smile appears on Jess’ face. “Okay,” he nods, his voice barely there. His eyes stay fixed on hers for a moment, until Jess leans in to kiss her, slow and tender. He doesn’t say it, but hopes she knows he’s well aware of how lucky he is to have her.

They pull away and Jess kisses Rory’s forehead, before getting up. “I’m going to shower, but I’ll be back soon,” he says, then pauses, scratching the back of his neck, “and hey, thank you.”

She raises a brow at him, her lips curling up into a slight smile. “For what?”

“Just… for being you.”

Even after all these years, his words and the way Jess looks at her as he says them haven’t once failed to make Rory’s heart skip a beat. “Oh,” she breathes, and her eyes light up, “well… I try.”

**

The next morning, before Rory wakes up, Jess sneaks out of bed and goes into the living room so he can reply to the email Benjamin had sent him the night before.

After Jess left that message on his voicemail, Ben called him back and told him that he’d have to check with his superiors about an opening, and that he’d get in touch as soon as he had any news.

On his email, he asked Jess to send him some samples of Rory’s work, and for that, he’ll have to compile a series of her articles and pieces from over the years, along with some of the issues from the _Gazette_.

It takes a while, but he manages to gather everything, making sure to pick the pieces he knows Rory is most proud of, with the hope that that will soften the blow when he tells her he’s done this behind her back.

His intentions are good, but there is a chance that Rory might not see it that way, and that thought is more than only a little terrifying. They’ve come so far, and Jess would hate to be the one to put an end to what have been possibly the best few weeks of his life.

Jess writes the email, then hits send, letting out a deep breath after the confirmation pops up on the screen. No going back now.

**

“You’ll never believe who just called me—” Rory says as she enters the room, where Jess is getting ready for dinner at Liz and TJ’s. He turns away from the mirror as he finishes buttoning up his shirt, looking at her expectantly when Rory pauses to watch him. “Oh, you should definitely wear that shirt more often,” she tells him, biting back a smile.

Jess just chuckles under his breath. “You like it?” he raises a brow at her, and Rory nods. “I’ll take note of that. Now, what were you saying? Who called you?”

“Right,” she continues, getting back to that train of thought, “This girl, Louise Grant, who I went to Chilton with. I haven’t spoken to her in ages, but then my phone rang, and it was _her,_ inviting me to this charity event for the school’s alumni.”

“Huh, and what did you say?”

“I told her I would have to check my calendar,” Rory uses air quotes with that last part, “Truth be told, I don’t think I want to go. No, I _know_ I don’t want to go, but I feel bad, since it’s for charity and all.”

“It makes sense that you wouldn’t want to go, considering what happened,” Jess says, “but hey, I’m assuming you still have time to decide, and if you choose not to go, we can just donate to whatever cause they’re raising money for or something.”

“The event is in two weeks, and a lot can happen in two weeks, right? Then I guess I’ll just have wait and see,” she responds, bowing her head a little, “but donating does sound like a good plan, so… thank you.”

“No problem,” he half-smiles. “Anyway, I’m almost done getting ready so we can leave soon, because the sooner we get there, the sooner we can leave.”

“Aw, that’s the spirit,” Rory teases as she walks over to the closet to get her black peacoat. “Tonight will be fine, you’ll see. I’m going to charm the pants off your mom and TJ.”

Jess makes a face. “God, I sure hope not.”

She gapes at him in turn. “How did you manage to make _that_ sound dirty? It’s a very common expression!”

“Come on, it was right there!”

“It’s like I’m dating my mother,” Rory mutters, shaking her head and Jess stares at her in disbelief.

“Oh, jeez,” he winces, “please _never_ say that again.”

“_So_ dramatic,” she rolls her eyes at him, without any heat, then circles the bed to where Jess is standing. Rory fixes his collar for him, and he smirks, making the small dimple on the corner of his mouth show. “You’re lucky I like you a little bit.”

“Only a little, huh?”

Rory wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him slowly, with only a hint of tongue until Jess deepens the kiss, pulling her closer. They break apart, though barely, with heavy breaths. “We’re going to be late,” she whispers into his mouth, and he lets out a sigh.

“Okay,” Jess concedes, even if his hands are still clinging to her waist, “We should probably get going, unless…”

“No unless,” she admonishes, raising a finger at him, “Again, if we leave now, the less time we’ll have to spend there, then we can get back here before we pick Richie up and…” she trails off, and he cocks an eyebrow at her in turn.

“I like the way you think, Gilmore.”

“Or, maybe we don’t have to get back here at all,” Rory adds as an afterthought as she does the single button on her coat, and Jess frowns.

“Not sure I follow, but I definitely like the sound of whatever it is you’re thinking.”

“The car,” she tells him simply, a not-so-innocent smile tugging on her lips, “I mean, it’s as good a place as any, right?”

“You’re a genius,” Jess responds before he pulls her in for a quick kiss, “an absolute genius.”

“Now that we’ve established that,” Rory says, hands on her hips, “can we go?”

“Oh, yeah. Although, I’m already looking forward to leaving.”

Rory can’t help but laugh at that. “Again, we got this. It’s just dinner.”

“Yeah,” he agrees, putting an arm around her as they exit the room, “It’s just dinner.”

**

Rory and Jess park the car down the street from the house, then walk the rest of the way. For some reason, there are still Christmas lights up outside, but knowing Liz and TJ, they probably just forgot those are even there.

Jess unlatches the lock on the gate, and they go in. The pathway to the front porch is covered in ice, and Rory has to hold on to Jess’ arm, so she won’t slip, internally debating whether wearing high-heeled boots was a good choice, and now, in retrospect, she sees it _really_ wasn’t.

“Oh, there you are!” Liz calls as she opens the door, before they can even knock. “I heard a car, then I came to check, and I was right, it _is_ you guys. What a coincidence, huh?”

“Actually, we parked down the street,” Jess clarifies, “so it probably was just a random car driving by.”

“Still,” his mother insists, “you have to agree my timing was perfect. Now, come on, give your mommy a hug.”

“Only if you promise not to refer to yourself as my _mommy_ again,” he says, scrunching up his nose and Liz just waves a hand at him dismissively, then pulls Jess into a tight hug.

They break apart, and Liz walks over to greet Rory, also going in for a hug. “Rory, oh, it’s so good to see you!” she exclaims, clasping her hands together, “I gotta tell you, when my big brother let it slip that you two are together, I couldn’t believe it. I mean, so many years in the making and—”

“Good to see you too, Liz,” Rory replies, putting on a smile, “And yeah, it’s great. We really appreciate everyone being this supportive. It-it means a lot.”

“What a sweetheart,” Liz shakes her head, then turns to her son, “Isn’t she such a sweetheart, Jess?”

He just nods in response. “She sure is.”

“Let’s go inside, shall we?” Liz says, leading the way into the house. “I have a roast in the oven that is to _die_ for. Ah, crap, can’t believe I almost forgot to ask. Rory, hon, you eat meat, right?”

“Oh, yeah,” she responds as she hangs her coat up, “I’ll eat short of anything, really,”

“Good, ‘cause his other girlfriend was a, what was she? Vegetarian? Or was it pescatarian? Anyway, they had dinner here once and it was this whole thing—”

“It was _not_ a whole thing,” Jess mutters, more to himself than not. “She just said she didn’t want the chicken pot pie, Liz.”

His mother’s face falls a little. “You’re right, you’re right,” she relents, raising her hands in mock-surrender, “I know I tend to exaggerate from time to time, but what can I say? I’ve got a knack for the storytelling thing,” Liz lets out a chuckle, “Heh, think maybe you got that from me, kiddo.”

Rory notices just how uncomfortable Jess looks already, so she decides to come to his aid. “Oh, Liz, can I help you with anything in the kitchen?” she offers, “I’ll have you know, I am a _terrific_ salad tosser.”

“How nice of you to offer, Rory,” Liz beams, “Sure you can. I’ll show you the way.”

Liz then leads her into the kitchen, and Jess just watches as they leave, until he turns around and sees his sister standing behind him, with her arms crossed. “Well, well, well,” Doula says, clapping slowly as she does so, “the prodigal son returns.”

Jess finally manages to ease up a bit. “Hey, there’s my favorite sister!” he exclaims, before moving to give her a hug. “How you doing, kid?”

“I’m fine, except for the fact that I’m back at school now,” she grumbles, “These breaks aren’t long enough _at all._ I mean, I blinked and _poof!_ I was back in Math class, listening to Ms. Clemmons go on and on about how her boyfriend dumped her on Christmas.”

“She’s allowed to do that?”

“No, but apparently, she doesn’t care,” his sister shrugs, “Anyway, enough about Ms. Clemmons. I hear you have a new girlfriend! Is she here? Can I meet her? Oh, I’d love to interview the two of you for my podcast, but we can discuss that later.”

“You have a—” Jess furrows his brows, trying to wrap his head around the amount of information he’s just gotten, “You know what, doesn’t matter. To answer your first question, yes, I am dating someone else, but you already know her.”

“What?” Doula frowns, “How do I— _wait. _Is it Rory?” she asks, and he nods in response, “Oh. My. God. I am going to _scream!_”

“Uh, please don’t.”

She rolls her eyes at him. “It’s an expression, dummy. It means ‘I’m so excited’ or something along those lines.”

“Oh,” he says, “why didn’t you say that instead, then?”

Doula opens her mouth to retort but is interrupted when Liz calls them to the dining room. “Dinner’s ready!”

“Hey, where’s your dad?” Jess asks her as they walk to the other room, only now noticing TJ is not around. “I thought he was going to be here, too.”

“He’s in New York,” his sister tells him, “Uncle Hank got arrested, so he had to go bail him out. It was very last minute, but he’ll be back tomorrow. He was really bummed too, since he loves mom’s roast. I guess we can save him some, though.”

“Huh. What did Uncle Hank do that got him in jail?”

“He mooned this person who cut him off on the road,” Doula explains with a shrug, casually, like she’s simply reporting the weather, “The person happened to be an old lady, so she called the cops on him and they got him for indecent exposure.”

“Jesus.”

“I know, right?”

“There they are, my babies!” Liz coos as the two enter the dining room, “Sit, sit, or the food will get cold. It’s freezin’ out.”

Jess takes a seat next to Rory, who gives him a reassuring smile. “Hey, Doula!” she then turns to his sister, “It’s amazing, every time I see you is like you get even prettier. I see you retired the bangs, though.”

“Aw, thanks Rory,” Doula grins, sounding genuinely flattered, “Actually, no, I just clipped them back for tonight. That, and because they’re getting in my eyes now.”

“I told you I could trim it for you, baby,” Liz tells her, and her daughter makes a face in response.

“Mom, the last time you tried to cut my hair, I ended up with a bowl cut. I looked like a coconut!”

“Of course you didn’t look like a coconut, you got blonde hair! Coconuts are _brown._ Besides, that was _years_ ago. I’ve gotten better at cuttin’ hair now, just ask your father, he’ll tell you.”

“Or you could just take her to a salon,” Jess suggests, although it’s clear in his tone that he’s simply stating the obvious, as he puts some of the roast on his plate.

His mother look at him in disbelief, shaking her head. “Now why would I pay someone to do something I can do myself?”

“Ha, you _are_ related to Luke,” Rory jokes, hoping to break the tension she can already feel building.

“Don’t tell him that, or he’ll deny it,” Liz plays along, much to Rory’s relief.

The rest of the dinner goes smoothly, and they keep the talk just superficial enough to make sure it stays that way. Liz’s food is actually pretty good, which comes as a surprise to Rory. From the little she knows about Jess’ childhood, she doesn’t seem like someone who would even know how to cook, let alone how to make such a delicious roast.

“Hey, Rory,” Doula calls just as she’s done swallowing, “you’re a teacher or something, right?”

Rory nearly chokes on her glass of water. “Or something, yeah,” she replies, “Why do you ask?”

“Does school suck for teachers as much as it does for us?” the girl asks, “Because I really want to have some sympathy for my teachers, but they don’t make that easy, so if I knew they are even nearly as miserable as us students, that would make sympathizing with them _way_ easier.”

“Um,” Rory tries, unsure of what the right thing to say here is, “It can definitely suck for teachers, too. I’ve seen both sides, and being a teacher is just as hard as being a student, but there are still some perks, like I’m sure there are also perks to being a student.”

Doula takes a sip of her drink. “I don’t see the point of school, anyway,” she says, “Everything about it is just so _dumb._”

“The point is for you to get an education and go to college,” Liz cuts in, the sternest she’s been all night. “You’re lucky to be able to go to school with your friends. Do you know how many kids in the world who don’t get to do that ‘cause they gotta work to support their families?”

Doula seems to do her best not to roll her eyes at that. “I know, mom,” the girl insists, “I _am_ caught up on world issues. Okay, fine, school may be important, but college? That’s a different story. I mean, Jess didn’t go to college, and he’s doing just fine.”

“Well, not everyone gets as lucky as your brother,” Liz responds, and Rory hates how unbelievably condescending she sounds, “Imagine the circumstances were different, and I hadn’t sent him to come live with your Uncle Luke, then he probably wouldn’t even have become an author.”

“Excuse me?”

“Something wrong, Rory?” Liz checks, downing the rest of her soda.

“Uh, yeah,” she retorts, and Jess’ mother eyes her warily. “I’m sorry, but how can you sit there and try to take credit for something _Jess_ accomplished? Also, he didn’t ‘get lucky’, he had to work hard to get to where he is, like literally everyone else.”

“Rory—”

“No, let me finish,” Rory tells Jess, “I think I also have to add that I went to private school, I went to Yale, and yet I am nowhere near as successful as they people in my life who _didn’t_ go to college. What I’m trying to say is that while college is a wonderful learning experience, it isn’t everything.”

“Are you done?” Liz asks, the most serious Rory has ever seen her.

Oh, she could definitely keep going, but that might be going a little too far. “Yeah,” Rory nods, “I’m done.”

“Okay,” Liz stands up, setting a dishcloth down on the table, “I’ll go check on dessert,” she says, then simply exits the room.

That’s when Rory realizes maybe she shouldn’t have done this, but what was she supposed to do? Sit back and watch?

“I’m so sorry,” she says, more to Doula than to Jess, “I-I need to get out of here.”

Rory leaves the table and rushes out of the house. “Rory!” Jess calls after her, following her outside, but she pretends she didn’t hear him and just keeps walking as fast as she can in those boots, till she is out on the street, headed towards the car.

Jess manages to catch up to her, reaching for her arm so she stops and turns to face him. “Jesus Christ, where did you learn how to walk this fast?” he asks, a little winded, but Rory doesn’t find that even remotely as funny.

“How can you be making jokes when I just attacked your mother like that?” she protests, sounding more than a little panicked, “God, I need to go back in there and apologize. I meant every word of it, but I’ll take it back—”

“No, no,” Jess stops her, “are you kidding? Rory, I’m going to say this to you in all seriousness: I have never loved you more. What you did in there…”

Rory frowns. “So… you’re not mad?”

“Of course I’m not mad,” he lets out a small laugh, “I’m surprised, sure, and maybe a little turned on—”

“Jess!”

“Just kidding,” Jess raises his hands in mock-surrender, “sort of. The point is, I’m not mad. How could I possibly be mad at you for sticking up for me like that?”

“Thank God,” Rory sighs in relief, “I was so scared that I’d gone too far, although I only said half of what I was thinking in there,” her expression suddenly falls, “Oh no, how mad do you think Liz is going to be?”

“She’ll get over it,” he assures her, “but still, I wouldn’t go back in there.”

“And poor Doula! I can’t believe I said all that stuff in front of her. She must hate me now.”

“Hate you? No way. To be honest, I think she wanted to laugh.”

“There’s a twisted sense of humor.”

“Runs in the family,” Jess half-shrugs, burying his hands into his coat pockets. “Do you feel any better now?”

“Still feel like I might throw up, but other than that, I’m fine,” Rory responds, “You know how much I hate confrontation.”

“Let’s just be glad you didn’t choose to become a lawyer,” he teases, and she manages a smile. “Now, come on. Let’s go over to the house and pick Richie up, so we can go home.”

“Huh.”

“What?”

“You, calling my apartment home,” Rory smirks, “I like the sound of that.”

Jess doesn’t say anything else, and just gives her a kiss on the cheek, wrapping an arm around her as he leads her back to the car. He then stops with his hand on the door handle, remembering the very interesting talk they had before leaving the house.

“Hey,” he calls, “does that offer still stand?”

It takes Rory a few seconds to get what he’s talking about. “Are you sure?” she checks, her gaze flickering to the front seats of the car. “I mean—”

“Oh, not here,” Jess clarifies, “I thought we could maybe drive somewhere… unless you don’t want to.”

“No,” Rory presses her lips together, “I want to,” she tells him before getting into the car, and he does the same. “Drive us to the woods by Larson’s Dock. That’s our place, right?”

Jess then leans forward to kiss her. “As you wish,” he whispers into her ear after they pull away, and Rory kisses him again, knowing exactly what those three words mean.

**

Later that night, they’re lying in bed together, and the secret Jess has been keeping from Rory continues to weigh on him. He can’t continue to keep this from her. “Hey, Ror?”

“Yeah?”

“I did something,” he tells her, letting out a deep sigh, “and I promise you, it’s nothing terrible or illegal, but I went behind your back to do it, so there’s a chance you’ll be mad.”

Rory furrows her brows with concern. “What are you talking about?” she asks, “Jess, you can talk to me. What did you do?”

“I saw how crushed you were after you were fired, so I called Benjamin,” Jess swallows, “then I left him a voicemail, asking if there were any job openings at the Philadelphia Inquirer and as it turns out, a staff writer position just opened. He’s going to recommend you for it, and for that he needed samples of your work, so I sent that to him this morning.”

She opens her mouth but can’t seem to get any words out. “I—” Rory breathes deeply, “I don’t know what to say. That’s- that’s a lot to process, I mean, I can’t even”

“I’m sorry,” he says, his voice barely there. “I should’ve run this by you before, I see that now and—”

Before he can continue, his phone dings on the bedside table. Jess freezes for a second, then reaches for it, and as it turns out, he has a new text from Benjamin. “Uh, he got you the interview,” he tells Rory, “apparently, his superiors are looking forward to meeting you.”

“_Holy shit,_” she breathes, forcing herself to sit up. “How—”

“Ror, I’m going to need you to say something here, ‘cause I have no idea what you’re thinking right now.”

“I’m thinking that… I might get another shot at my dream,” Rory sniffles, turning back to him, “and it’s all thanks to you. Jess, how could you possibly think that I would be _mad?_ This is everything. You are just…”

“So, you’re happy about this?” he checks, still slightly confused, “And you’re sure?”

“Of course I am,” she assures him, unable to contain the grin on her face. “God, I love you so much,” Rory says she pulls him into a kiss, still smiling, and Jess melts into it completely, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. “Thank you for this, I—”

“You don’t need to thank me,” he tells her simply, “you should know by now that I’d do anything for you, Rory. Although, I’m just the guy who made the calls and sent the emails. You dazzled them all by yourself.”

“I still can’t believe this,” Rory sighs. “Wait, uh, when is the interview?”

“Next week.”

“Next week,” she echoes, still finding it hard to wrap her head around all of this. “That’s… soon.”

“Yeah,” Jess exhales gently through his nose. “You okay?”

She kisses him again. “I’m perfect,” Rory says, finally allowing herself to relax a little, “so, we’re going to Philly, huh?”

“We’re going to Philly,” he confirms, smiling at her.


	22. The One In Philadelphia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory and Jess go down to Philly on the weekend before Rory's big interview at the Philadelphia Inquirer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone!! sorry it's been a while since the last update, but i hope you're ready for another chapter! this is a very fun one in my opinion, although it's a bit long, so i really hope you enjoy it!  
and thank you so much for 150 kudos!!! that means so much <3 anyway, happy reading and let me know what you think!!!

“So,” Rory pants, clutching at the sheets as tightly as possible to try and brace herself, “Guess we can cross that—” she lets out a gasp, her eyes shut, “_ oh— _ off the list.”

“Are you seriously thinking about that _ insane _ travel itinerary right now?” Jess asks with a frown as he lifts his head slightly from between her thighs, and Rory opens an eye to look at him.

“First of all,” she swallows, “it is _ not _ insane. Second of all, why did you stop to ask me that? I was this close to—”

“This was supposed to take your mind _ off _ the trip!” he protests, “Unless I’m not doing a very good job, and if so, I wish you’d just tell me. Although, I don’t think that has ever been a problem before.”

“I’m sorry, okay?” Rory sighs, brushing her hair away from her face, “You’re doing a great job, amazing, really, but I can’t keep my mind off the trip. I’ve tried to, but I can’t.”

“Look, just clear your head and relax” Jess instructs her as his mouth trails down her inner thigh and he gently strokes her skin with his knuckles. She closes her eyes again and allows her body to ease up in response to his touch, “There you go,” he tells her, his voice soft.

Jess moves so he’s on top of her and presses his lips against hers slowly, lingering for a second before pulling up her shirt a little before he starts to kiss the exposed skin of her stomach, moving further and further down…

Like any respectable writer, he understands how important it is to be able to build anticipation before the climax, so even if he does know _ exactly _ how to make Rory scream, it’s nowhere near as good if there isn’t some building up to it.

“Jess…” Rory’s voice falters as his mouth meets hers again and he slips his fingers inside her, then pacing his movements almost rhythmically.

She cries out his name again, and inevitably comes around his fingers, letting out sharp, heavy breaths. 

“Have you always been this loud?” Jess whispers into her ear, then kisses her again. Rory manages a weak laugh, although she’s still having a hard time catching her breath.

Soon enough, Jess rolls over to his side of the bed, then lets his head fall back on the pillow with a sigh. “What time is it?” he stifles a yawn, “I feel like we’ve been awake for hours.”

Rory reaches for her phone on the coffee table to check the time, squinting at it. “It’s still seven,” she grimaces, “Guess that’s on me for waking you up at 6 AM sharp, but the itinerary—”

“Not again with the itinerary,” Jess all but groans, “Look, I know you’re a planner, and while most of the time, I find that to be an adorable quality, it’s getting out of hand. Is the interview the main purpose of this trip? Yes, but that doesn’t mean we can’t also have fun in the meantime.”

“You’re right,” she lets out a sigh, “I’ll try not to keep us in a super tight schedule and to just… have fun.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll do your best,” he then plants a kiss on her forehead, before pushing himself to get out of bed, “I’m going to make some breakfast, any requests?”

“Oh, you don’t have to, I can—”

“And let you burn the place down?” Jess snorts as he stretches out his arms and his neck, “No, thanks.”

“Jerk,” Rory rolls her eyes at him, a slight smirk tugging on her lips, “Eggs on toast, please and coffee. Lots of it.”

He pretends to be writing that down into an imaginary notepad, then bids her a two-finger salute. “Your order will be right up, ma’am,” Jess teases before bowing out of the room and Rory can’t help but smile to herself at that.

**

It takes a while, but Rory manages to get up as well and goes into the bathroom for a quick shower to actually start the day. After she’s done showering, and has blow-dried and brushed her hair, Rory picks out a comfortable outfit for the drive down to Philly, even if she won’t have to stay in the car for that long.

Ready at last, she walks over to the kitchen, and finds Jess putting a bowl of oatmeal in front of Richie, who looks at it like any other kid would look at a bowl of Lucky Charms, but not Richie, because for some inexplicable reason, he has the appetite of a seventy-year-old man.

Seeing that somewhat small gesture, though, gets Rory thinking, about just how _ good _ Jess is with Richie.

Not that there was any doubt about that, but in these past few weeks, it’s become even clearer — how he’s stepped into this role, that is still kind of hard to define, so easily, no questions asked, like it’s the way it was always supposed to be.

Rory stops at the door and in her mind, she can almost picture them with another kid, maybe even two and it’s just…

She thinks back to the conversation they had in the car after they’d dropped Doula off at her friend’s birthday party, about how they both said that kids would be good, if they found the right person and now that they have, Rory can’t help but wonder.

Rory brushes off that thought and tries to will the more practical and realistic part of her brain to list out all the reasons why she shouldn’t be thinking about this, especially not now.

They have only been back together for a couple of weeks, and as far as she’s concerned, maybe Jess doesn’t even want another kid, or kids, plural, so it’s best to just forget this. For the time being, anyway.

Rory then steps into the kitchen, blinking as though she’s just snapped out of some kind of trance.

“Morning, sweetie,” she kisses the top of her son’s head, before taking a seat on the chair next to his.

“Morning,” Richie replies with a mouth full of oatmeal, which manages to be gross _ and _ adorable at the same time.

“How are you already dressed?” Jess asks as he puts a plate with eggs and toast down in front of her at the table, “I feel like I’m falling behind schedule now,” he gestures at his clothes as he is still wearing the gray sweatpants and an old Distillers t-shirt he slept in.

“Hey, there is no schedule… anymore,” Rory raises a finger at him as she takes a forkful of the eggs into her mouth, “Although, we should definitely be at my mom and Luke’s by nine, ‘cause that’s when I told her we’d be there.”

“That sounds doable,” he says, then hands her a hot cup of coffee before leaning down to give her a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll go shower now, and after I’m done getting ready, we’ll go, okay?”

“Did you eat anything?” she checks, furrowing a brow at him, “Breakfast’s the most important meal of the day, Jess. Can’t skip it.”

“Eh, I had some coffee, but we can stop to eat something on the way,” Jess waves a hand at her dismissively, “can I go now?”

“Fine, go,” Rory huffs, “but I’m driving!”, she calls after him as he leaves the room, “I don’t want you passing out on the wheel!”

“That’s good with me!”, he yells back, and that makes Rory chuckle a little under her breath.

She is determined to make the most out of this trip, and to not let her worries get in the way of doing that, even though _ not _ worrying is the kind of thing that is really easier said than done, especially for Rory.

**

“Wow, this place looks great,” Rory says as they walk in, looking around the bullpen, “I haven’t seen it since the expansion, but you’ve got a real operation here. I mean, you even have _ interns! _”

“Yeah, we’ve needed some extra hands on deck lately, and as it turns out, college students will do anything for a free meal, so…” Jess retorts, his eyebrows shooting up, and Rory gives him a look in turn. “What?”

“Ah, there he is!” Matthew exclaims as he walks towards them with his arms wide open, before he pulls Jess into a tight hug. “Took you long enough to show your pretty face around here again.”

“How’s it going, Matt?” Jess gives him a pat on the back as they pull away. “At least it seems like things have been business as usual around here, no sign of fires that had to be put out during my absence.”

“I’m doing just fine, thank you. But see, you’re wrong, ‘cause someone did set a wastebasket on fire accidentally the other day, but that’s besides the point,” his friend tells him before turning to Rory. “Mm, I think I owe you an apology for breaking that one promise, huh?”

“No apology necessary,” Rory smiles in turn, “I’m glad you told him, actually, ‘cause everything worked out for the best. It was… the push we both needed.”

“Hey, don’t say that, it’ll go straight to his head,” Jess tells her, and Matthew just gapes at him.

“_ Rude, _” Matt shakes his head, feigning offense. “Now, I’ll leave you two to continue your tour, but don’t forget that we’re going out for drinks tonight, and tomorrow we’ll be having dinner at Chris and Jenna’s.”

“Huh, I don’t recall you mentioning anything about going out for drinks,” Jess narrows his eyes at him, “I know about the dinner, ‘cause Chris texted me about it like five times but—”

“You don’t remember, because I’m calling it now,” Matthew responds, “It’ll be fun, I promise. And even if it isn’t, you do still owe me.”

“Don’t mind him, we’d love to go out with you guys tonight,” Rory steps in, elbowing Jess’ arm, “I know we came here for my interview on Monday, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still have fun, right?”

“Great thinking, Rory,” Matthew says, then turns to Jess, “She’s a keeper, Mariano. Hold on tight to that one,” he tells him before walking away.

After Matt leaves, Jess continues to show Rory around, and she can’t help but smile at just how _ proud _ he looks when explaining who does what, and how everything works at Truncheon. It’s nice that he loves what he does. They cover the first floor, then circle back to where they started, right by the stairs.

“Are you going to show me your office?” Rory asks as they go up to the second floor, “It’s so cool that you have your own office.”

“Okay, lower your expectations, Gilmore,” he tells her, “Yes, I do have an office, but it’s not a big deal. Just a desk, couple of chairs and some shelves. Nothing special about it.”

“Well, I disagree,” she insists, “Only important people have their own offices, so I’m assuming you’re just doing that thing you do, where you try to brush stuff aside and pretend like they’re not a big deal, when in fact, they are.”

Jess stops at one of the steps to frown at her. “I didn’t realize I did that.”

“Oh, you do,” Rory retorts, looking back at him over her shoulder, “and it is _ very _ annoying. Now, let’s go.”

He raises his hands up in mock-surrender then gestures at her to keep going. The two get to the second floor and walk down the hallway till they’re standing outside Jess’ office. He opens the door, then makes way so Rory can go inside.

Jess’ office is pretty much what Rory pictured. Shelves filled with records and countless books, some papers scattered over the large wooden desk, along with an unfinished Rubik’s cube and a ball made out of rubber-bands. What surprises her, though, are the many pictures up on the wall. Most of them are of Jess with Chris and Matthew, but there is also one of him and Luke and… one of the two of them.

That photo was taken some ten years ago, on Jess’ twenty-fifth birthday. Rory happened to be in town for work, so he invited her to go out with him and his friends, and so she did. They had been on good terms for a while since the night of the open house and saw each other occasionally, so there wasn’t as much awkwardness between them anymore, and they were back to just being old friends. Sort of.

It’s kind of a funny picture, actually. Neither of them are looking at the camera and it isn’t hard to tell that they are both more than a little bit drunk — her laughing at something that was most likely not even that funny and him just looking at her, the hint of a smirk on his face, seeming very amused by the whole thing.

“I like this one,” Rory nods over at their picture, and Jess leans up against his desk as he steps closer to take a look at it, “I didn’t even know you had it. In fact, I don’t think I had ever seen it before.”

“Yeah,” he replies, “Chris took it and only showed it to me _ years _ later but… it’s a pretty good picture.”

“God, I can’t believe that was over a decade ago,” she lets out a sigh, “Makes me feel old.”

“It really doesn’t feel like it’s been that long,” Jess bows his head a little, “It’s kind of funny, though.”

“What is?”

“How we had no idea we’d end up here,” he says, making their eyes meet again, “I guess sometimes things just… work out like that.”

Rory sits down on the edge of the desk next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. “Yeah,” she tells him quietly as he wraps an arm around her, pulling her closer, “they really do.”

They stay like that for a little while, till Rory chooses to break the silence. “You know what I want?” she asks, and Jess raises an eyebrow at her in turn, then moves so he’s standing right in front of her.

“Can’t say that I do, no,” Jess says, both his hands on her thighs, “but… I think I have an idea.”

“Really?” Rory checks, wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling him in, so there’s barely any space left between them, “Because _ my _ idea was for you to do me on top of this desk, and it’s important to me that we’re on the same page on that one.”

“Oh, we definitely are,” Jess tells her before leaning forward to kiss her, his fingers pressed to her waist, under her sweater, till he pulls away for a second, only barely. “Wait— what if someone walks in?”

“Good point,” Rory retorts, “in that case… we’ll just have to be fast,” she whispers into his ear, then her mouth drags down to his neck, making him groan softly into her shoulder.

Jess pushes his stuff out of the way and lays her down on top of the desk while she reaches for his belt, when they hear a single knock on the door before it clicks open and a gasp follows.

“Oh, my,” Victoria lets out a chuckle, crossing her arms over her chest, “how the tables have turned.”

Rory sits up abruptly, pulling her sweater down before she practically pushes Jess from on top of her. “Victoria!” she chokes out, her cheeks flushed, “Um… h-hey.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way,” Jess says, “but what on Earth are you doing here?”

The blonde narrows her eyes at him. “Here as in your office or here as in Philadelphia?”

“Both?”

“Well, I had to come here to meet this writer guy who’s supposed to be some kind of genius for lunch so I can try to convince him to sign with us,” Victoria explains with a half-shrug, “then I decided to stop by to say hi, and Matthew told me you were up here, so…”

“Ah,” he nods in turn, “that makes sense. Uh, and sorry about—”

“Oh, no, don’t even worry about it,” she assures him, “Is it a little weird? Sure. But it’s totally fine. Besides, I’m the one who should be apologizing for just barging in like that.”

“It’s not your fault, really,” Rory manages a smile, “I mean, we’re the ones who didn’t lock the door.”

“The door doesn’t lock, though,” Victoria grimaces, “Learned _ that _ the hard way.”

She and Jess then share a look, and it doesn’t take Rory long to put two and two together. “Oh, so you…?” she says, her eyes slightly widened, “You know what? I really don’t wanna know.”

“_ Anyway, _” Jess cuts in, “why don’t we change the subject? I’d rather talk about literally anything else.”

“Right,” Rory agrees easily, “so, how are you doing, Victoria? I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.”

“I’m good, actually,” Victoria responds, tucking her hair behind her ear, “I got promoted at work, I have better hours and a corner office now, which is nice. What about you?”

“I’m- we’re good. I have a job interview at the Inquirer on Monday, that’s why we’re here,” Rory starts to ramble, before she manages to get ahold of herself. “Oh, we’re all going out for drinks later, so why don’t you come with? Unless you have plans. I’m not assuming you don’t have plans—”

“An interview? Rory, that’s great! I’m sure you’ll crush it,” Victoria tells her with a smile, before her face falls a little, “About going out, though, I don’t know… last time we all hung out together I was kind of a major bitch to everyone, and you especially, so maybe it isn’t such a good idea.”

“Oh, come on! That’s water under the bridge now. I’m sure everyone would love it if you came along.”

“I’ll think about it,” the blonde says, “Now, I should probably get going, but Jess, I need to talk to you for a second. In private,” she then turns to Rory, her tone apologetic, “It’s just book related, I’m not going to tell him I’m having his baby or anything. Mm, bad joke. I see that now.”

“It’s no problem, I’ll wait downstairs, maybe wander around for a bit,” Rory replies as she hops off the desk, headed towards the door. “Victoria, great to see you and… I do hope you decide to stop by tonight.”

“Good to see you, too, Rory” Victoria nods, waving at her before she leaves and closes the door behind her. “Okay, I need to show you something,” she tells Jess, who frowns at her in response.

Victoria sorts through her purse for a second, then takes what looks like a book with a blank cover out of it, handing it to Jess. “It’s your book,” she supplies, when noticing the confused look on his face, “I finished editing it and that is the final version. Minus the cover, you still have to pick one.”

“Oh, ‘cause I thought this was some kind of marketing strategy to add some pizzazz to it. It has no cover, no title, so people are curious and therefore inclined to buy it. It could work.”

“First, I don’t think I like you using the word _ pizzazz _,” Victoria snorts, “second, that kind of is a clever idea, but definitely not what we’re going for here. I’ve already contacted a few cover artists and I should have some options for you sometime this week.”

“This is getting real, huh?” he sighs as he continues to flip through the pages. Even after having published three books, seeing his words in print still feels… strange, in a way. It’s a good feeling, though, to know he’s accomplished this.

“Yeah,” Victoria exhales sharply, shoving her hands into her coat pockets, “It’s really good, Jess. I mean, you’ve truly outdone yourself with this one.”

Jess gives her a small smile. “Thanks,” he says, a bit awkwardly. He still isn’t great at the whole taking compliments thing. “This was a team effort, though. If you hadn’t pushed me to write this, I don’t think I would’ve gotten this far, so thank you for that.”

“That’s what friends and editors are for, right?” She lets out a chuckle. “Um, I think I should tell you that after the book is released, the company wants you to go on a book tour around the country to promote it, and depending on how successful it is, it could take more than only a couple of weeks, so… you might want to discuss that with Rory before it’s go-time.”

“I will,” Jess nods, “thanks for the head’s up. Oh, and you should come with us tonight, because I think this,” he then holds up the coverless book, “deserves to be celebrated, even if I’d appreciate it if we didn’t tell anyone about it just yet.”

“If you insist, then I’ll stop by. Also, don’t worry, my lips are sealed.”

Jess doesn’t say anything else and pulls Victoria into a hug instead. He definitely catches her off guard, but she stills hugs him back, lingering for a few seconds after they pull away. “I should go,” she says, taking a step back. “See you later, Mariano.”

He bows his head a little in turn. “See you.”

Victoria leaves the office, and Jess takes a moment to study his book. It may not have a cover or even his name on it yet, but it’s _ his. _It has real some weight to it, too, metaphorically speaking.

There’s a real chance this book might be what puts him on the map, but the question is... is that really what he wants?

**

Rory wakes slowly, squinting as the sunlight coming in hits her eyes. Her head is pounding, and she feels oddly disoriented. Rory also has absolutely no idea how she ended up sleeping on the floor of Jess’ room instead of on his bed. He’s lying next to her, though, still sound asleep, with an arm wrapped around her.

“Jess,” she calls as she attempts and fails at sitting up, “Hey, wake up.”

He stirs sleepily before opening his eyes. “Hi,” Jess says, his voice gruff, “Why... why did we sleep on the floor?” he groans, “I think my arm is asleep. _ God, _what happened last night?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” Rory says with a yawn, then stops when she hears a noise coming from the living room, “Wait. There’s someone else here?”

“That, or I’m being robbed,” Jess retorts, struggling to get on his feet. “Stay here, I’ll go check,” he tells her, and grabs a lamp from his bedside table before ducking out of the room.

Not too long after that, Rory hears a yelp in the other room, so she rushes over there. “Jess!” she cries, only to find him standing over Matthew, wielding the lamp like a baseball bat, “Matthew? What- what are you doing here?”

“Almost being killed with a lamp, apparently,” he grumbles, and Jess quickly lowers the lamp, setting it down on the coffee table. 

“Sorry about that,” Jess grimaces, “We thought someone had broken in.”

“Fair enough,” his friend says, letting out a sigh, “does anyone have any idea what happened last night? I tried asking Ben, but he’s still passed out on your couch,” Matt turns and glances over at his boyfriend, who’s snoring loudly on the sofa. 

“Hey, you’re missing a sock,” Rory notices, pointing at Jess’ bare foot, “maybe we could use _ that _as a clue to piece together what happened.”

Then, an image of her dumping a bowl of peanuts into a sock that matches the one Jess is missing flashes before her eyes. _ “You think you can kick us out, huh?” _ she can see herself say to this man who looks like he could be the bar owner, _ “So just watch as I steal these nuts!” _

_ “Those are free,” _the man tells her, but that doesn’t interrupt her moment one bit. 

_ “Whatever!” _ Rory retorts before stuffing the sock into her purse, _ “Come on, you guys, let’s roll.” _And that’s pretty much all she remembers. Her memory is still very hazy otherwise. 

“I think I know where your sock is,” she says, then walks over to the kitchen to get her purse from on top of the island. Rory finds the peanut-filled sock, and hands it to Jess. “Here it is.”

“Are these... _ peanuts? _” He turns to her with a frown. 

“Yes,” Rory replies, letting her shoulders sag, “I took those after we got kicked out of the bar.”

“Oh, yeah,” Matthew nods, the events of the previous night slowly coming back to him, “We got kicked out after Victoria got into a fight with this lady who I think accidentally hit her... with a dart.”

“A dart?” 

“Yes, and it still hurts like a bitch,” Victoria suddenly comes out of Jess’ guest room, with a bandage around her forearm, “I didn’t feel it before, but now? I need an extremely heavy dose of painkillers.”

“You slept here, too?” Jess asks, looking even more confused. 

“Yeah, you don’t remember?” She responds as she opens the fridge to get herself a bottle of water. “After I got stabbed, we came here so Spencer could bandage me up, and so we could keep drinking. Speaking of which, he’s still in there,” Victoria nods over at the guest room, “so if you could maybe kick him out…”

“Hold on a second, _ who _is Spencer?” 

“The hot firefighter Victoria hooked up with last night,” Matthew supplies, giving Victoria a high five from afar. “You seriously don’t remember? She even made a joke about… Actually, I’m not sure, but it had something to do with a pole.”

“Nothing happened, though,” Victoria huffs, sitting down at one of the stools, “we were making out and it almost was something, until he started crying over his ex and forced me to _ cuddle _with him until he fell asleep.”

“Oh, yikes,” Rory winces, “and why didn’t you send him home after that?”

“I felt bad, okay? He was crying _ so _much, like pools of tears. It was awful.”

“Well, at least that means no one did it in my guest bedroom” Jess snorts, and Victoria glares at him in turn. 

“Heh, I wouldn’t be too happy about that, ‘cause now the last person I had sex with is still _ you. _”

His face falls a little. “Oh.”

“I feel like we’ve slipped into a subject that is very awkward, so let’s move past that, shall we?” Rory says, clasping her hands together, “We need to do some damage control so we’re not too hungover at dinner tonight. Which means, Jess, you can go tell Spencer in there to leave, while Matthew tries to wake Benjamin up and Victoria and I can go out to get coffee, donuts, and painkillers. How does that sound?”

“Hold on a second, why do _ I _have to kick that guy out?”

“It’s _ your _apartment,” Rory insists, sharing a complicit look with Victoria, “Now, chop, chop, people. Let’s kick this hangover’s ass.”

Jess rolls his eyes at her in response, but does as she asks anyway, marching over to the guest room. The others follow suit, and Rory only hopes this is enough to help them sit through dinner at Chris and Jenna’s later.

**

“Wow, you all look terrible,” is the first thing Jenna says after opening the door to let everyone inside. 

“We’re aware, thank you,” Matthew grumbles as he walks into the house. “Just be glad you’re too married and boring to go out to bars anymore.”

“You forgot pregnant,” Jess points out, and Jenna laughs, “Hey, Jen,” he says, going in for a hug, “it’s been a while, huh? You look great.”

“Thanks, honey,” she smiles at him, before turning to Rory, who’s only a couple of steps behind, “Hey, stranger!” Jenna then pulls her into a hug, “Sorry, I’m a hugger, hope you don’t mind.”

“I don’t,” Rory responds, beaming, “Unbelievable. You’re what, six months pregnant? Yet, you still look like a rockstar. When I was entering _ my _third trimester, I had swollen clown feet. Just ask Jess, he was there to witness it.”

“Trust me, I know how that feels,” Jenna looks down at her shoes, “these are twice my size, I only bought them for tonight because growing up I was taught that it’s rude to be barefoot in front of guests.”

“Now, that makes for a fun childhood.”

“Mm, you have no idea,” Jenna lets out a small chuckle, “Oh, we’re blocking the way,” she realizes, seeing Benjamin standing by the front door, “hey, Benji! Glad you could make it.”

Rory raises an eyebrow at the two. “_ Benji? _”

“It’s just… an inside joke we have,” he explains as he hangs his coat on the rack, “I’d explain it, but it’s a long story and I am _ starving. _”

“Later, then?”

“You got it.”

**

Dinner is very fun and as it turns out, Chris is a terrific cook, so the food is delicious. Rory always has a good time hanging out with Jess’ friends, especially since they’re all so warm and welcoming, and make her feel like part of the group, even if she has only now officially joined in. 

“It’s a bummer Victoria had to meet with that author again for dinner tonight,” Chris says as he sits back down at the table, “I really wanted to hear more about the dart and the weepy fireman from her, since the rest of you barely remember what happened last night.”

“Guess that’s what happens when you try to drink like you’re in your twenties in your mid-thirties,” Rory notes, filling her glass with more soda and the rest agree.

“I don’t know what you guys are whining about,” Matthew shrugs, “I, for instance, feel fine. In fact, I could even go out for drinks again after this.”

“Really?” Benjamin shoots him a skeptical look, “Was it not you who said and I quote, that you ‘were never going to drink again’ this morning?”

Matthew_ s _ hakes his head at his boyfriend. “Traitor,” he _ tsks. _

“Oh, my God,” Jenna exclaims suddenly, putting a hand to her belly, which alarms the others. 

“What’s wrong, babe?” Chris asks, going over to check on her. “Did your water break? No, that’s- that’s not possible, it’s too early--”

“No, Chris, calm down,” she tells him, “my water didn’t break, but I think I felt the baby kicking,” Jenna takes his hand and lays it over her stomach, “Here, can you feel it?”

“Yeah,” he chuckles, unable to contain the excitement on his face, “I can feel it. Our baby is kicking!” Chris then stands up to give his wife a kiss, before wrapping her into a tight hug.

Afterwards, everyone takes turns to try and feel a kick, and Rory can’t help but smile as she sees the slightly terrified look on Jess’ face when he feels two consecutive kicks on his turn. 

“I don’t think this kid likes me that much,” he says, then leans a little over Jenna’s stomach to talk to the baby, “well, too bad, ‘cause I’m still your godfather. Deal with it,” he tells it, and the others laugh. 

That moment is, without a doubt, the highlight of the evening. 

**

Seeing just how happy Chris and Jenna are to be having this baby together gets Rory thinking again, picturing how it would be, getting to do that with Jess. She never thought she would actually want to do the whole baby thing again, but it’s hard not to consider it, especially when Jess makes her want everything with him --_ the whole package. _

They leave early so she can get a good night’s sleep before the interview at the Inquirer tomorrow. She’s quiet throughout the entire cab ride home, still unable to get that thought off her mind. 

“Hey,” Jess checks as he reaches for his keys in his pocket so he can unlock the front door, “you okay?”

“I need to ask you something,” Rory tells him, closing the door behind her, “and it’s going to sound…_ insane, _ but--”

He furrows a brow at her. “What is it?”

“When you think about our future, do you see us with another kid? Or kids, plural?” She asks, fidgeting with her coat sleeves, “Because I do,” Rory continues, before he even has the chance to respond, “I know we still have so much to figure out, but it’s just… where I’m at, right now.”

Jess walks over to meet her halfway, taking one of her hands into his own. “Rory, you should know by now that when it comes to you, I’m all in, no matter what,” he says, his voice soft, “and to answer your question, yeah. I can definitely picture us with another kid, or kids. Whatever you want.”

Her breath steadies as she looks up at him, her eyes gleaming. “Really?” 

“Yes,” he confirms, his lips quirking up into a small smile, “really.”

Rory doesn’t say anything else and just wraps her arms around his neck, kissing him tenderly in turn. “I don’t mean… right away, though,” she clarifies, as their lips part, “I don’t even have a job, and you- you have a book coming out soon, so we should prioritize that.”

Jess lets out a sigh. “Speaking of which,” he says, “the book is done. All that’s left is picking a cover and figuring out some stuff before the release, but it’s happening.”

“You’re kidding!” Rory exclaims, “Jess, that’s amazing! And... soon, but still!”

“Yeah, that’s not all of it,” Jess tells her, “I’ll also have to go on a book tour, and it might take more than only a couple of weeks, and that would be fine, if the timing wasn’t so--”

“Hey, we’ll figure it out,” she assures him, “As long as we plan ahead, we’ll be okay. Besides, I think it’s safe to assume we can work our way around less than great timing.”

He smiles, leaning so their foreheads touch. “Now, what would I do without you?”

“It’s a good thing you won’t have to worry about that,” Rory says, “rest of our lives, right?”

“Are you ever gonna let me live that one down?”

“Mm,” she hums before pressing her lips against his again, running a hand down his neck, “I don’t think so.”

“So, going back to that other topic…” Jess trails off, brushing Rory’s hair away from her face, “We’re not planning to have another kid now, but,” he then pulls her up and into his arms, her legs now wrapped around his waist, “that doesn’t mean we can’t practice, does it?”

“Oh, you think you’re so smooth...” Rory shakes her head, leaning forward to kiss him again before he can carry her over to his bedroom.

**

The waiting room at the Philadelphia Inquirer is as comfortable as a hospital’s, so Jess has to do his best to tune out the noises around him while he waits for Rory to be done with her interview, but he can’t even focus on the book he brought along with him. 

He knows she’s prepared and that she’s definitely wowing everyone in there, but for some reason, Jess still feels nervous for her, almost like her nerves were passed down to him somehow.

Soon enough, Rory emerges from the hallway, her expression inscrutable. Jess quickly gets out of his chair and walks up to her. “So?” he asks, “how’d it go? Did you get it?”

She presses her lips together before flashing him the biggest smile. “Yeah, I got it,” Rory tells him, and Jess’ jaw nearly drops, “I start next month. They gave me just enough time to prepare for the move, so… it’s happening!”

“I’m so proud of you,” Jess then picks her up and gives her a tight hug, spinning her around before her feet touch the ground again. “I knew you could do this.”

Rory sighs, still unable to wipe the smile from her face. “I know you did.”

“Where do you want to go to celebrate? It can be anywhere, just name it.”

“Actually,” she says, biting her lower lip, “I think I just want to go home. I don’t think I can wait to start planning everything.”

“Okay, then,” he nods, smiling back at her, “let’s go home.”

**

  
  



	23. The One With Madeline and Louise’s Charity Event

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory, Jess and Paris attend a charity event for Chilton alumni, organized by no one other than Madeline and Louise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone! 
> 
> wow, it’s definitely been a while since my last update, but i promise i have a good reason for that (i think). the truth is, i haven’t been as motivated to write lately, and it’s taken a lot out of me to even think about it, all thanks to an awful dose of writer’s block. 
> 
> i did manage to write this chapter, though, so i hope i can get back to updating more regularly from now on, and give this story the ending i have planned. 
> 
> i’d also like to thank you all for taking the time to read this fic and for your support, it genuinely means the world! 
> 
> anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter and that i see you in the next update, sooner rather than later! happy reading x

**Early February**

“Mom?” Rory ventures as she enters the house, with a to-go box from Weston’s in hand, “Are you home?” 

“Rory?” Lorelai calls from upstairs, “I’m up here!” Then, a loud thud follows, “Damn it!” 

Rory quickly makes her way up the stairs, and finds her mother sitting on her bedroom floor, putting back some of her old hats and purses into a large cardboard box. 

“What happened here?” Rory asks, raising a brow at Lorelai, who just sighs in response.

“I was looking for my brown, leathery bag, and I couldn’t find it anywhere in the closet,” she explains, “but then I remembered this box, so I tried to reach for it from that shelf up there, and it _ fell." _

“What do you need that bag so badly for?” Rory asks, then sits down on the floor next to her mother so she can help her look. 

“Well, I bought these gorgeous new boots, but they don’t go with any of my purses,” Lorelai shrugs, “Any chance you might have it?” 

“I’m not sure, maybe,” Rory tells her, “I can look for it when I get home, though. But first, I need a small favor from you,” she adds, a slight grin spreading across her face.

“Is that why you brought me those pastries?” Her mother nods over at the to-go box sitting on her lap, “So you could _ bribe _ me into doing your bidding?” 

Rory gapes at her in turn, as she puts on Lorelai’s leopard print cowboy hat. “How dare you?” She fake-gasps, “I would never _ bribe _ my own mother. Can’t a girl just make a nice gesture without any ulterior motive?” 

Lorelai shoots her a very skeptical look in turn, and Rory ends up caving. “Fine,” she concedes, handing the box over to her, “it _ is _ a bribe, but I promise, it’s still a very small favor.” 

“You know I’ll do short of anything for a cherry danish,” her mother says as she bites into the pastry, “so, shoot. Whaddya need?” 

“Your red dress,” Rory grimaces, “the one you wore to Grandma and Grandpa’s 50-year anniversary party?” 

“That’s it?” Lorelai furrows her brows at her, “You didn’t have to bribe me for _ that. _Of course you can borrow it. It’s right there in the closet.” 

“Thanks, Mom,” Rory gives Lorelai a brief hug, then promptly gets up so she can start looking for the dress. 

“So, big date tonight?” Her mother asks, her mouth still a bit full, as she also resumes her search for her beloved brown, leathery bag. 

“Oh, I wish,” Rory huffs, turning to look at Lorelai over her shoulder. “We’re actually going to this charity auction thing for the Chilton alumni tonight. The whole thing sounds a bit like a drag, but at least there has been word of an open bar.” 

“Well, that’s still date-like, right? Also, I really didn’t think you’d want to go to any Chilton related event after…” 

“Initially, I was definitely opposed to it,” Rory explains, letting out a sigh, “but after I got the job at the Inquirer, it all seemed so…unimportant, and I figured, what’s the harm in going? Besides, it _ is _ for charity,” she then frowns a little, “not sure which one, though.” 

“It’ll probably be nice to be out of the apartment for one night,” Lorelai points out, “planning the move to Philly must be driving the two of you insane.” 

“Not yet, but we _ have _ been pretty busy,” Rory tells her, “With the move, and Jess’ book coming out soon… it’s a lot.” 

“So you’re not as hot and heavy anymore?” 

Rory just rolls her eyes at Lorelai, without any heat. “Things have definitely… _ settled, _” she admits, “but I guess that was bound to happen eventually.” 

“Yeah,” her mother bows her head a little, “but, hey, when Jess goes on his book tour, you’ll get to miss each other a little, and that can be good. Makes the reunion all the more sweet.” 

Huh, that’s definitely not a bad way to look at it. Rory can’t help but smile to herself at the thought. 

“You’re right,” she agrees, “it’s something to look forward to, at least. But, I don’t know,” Rory sighs, letting her shoulders sag, “it’s going to be weird not having him around.” 

Lorelai takes another bite out of her danish. “I get that,” she nods thoughtfully, “but you’ll get through it. It’s just a couple of weeks, right?” 

Then, her expression becomes slightly concerned. “Unless you’re worried about…something else?” 

Rory frowns at her. “What do you mean?” 

“Well,” Lorelai clarifies, fixing her eyes on hers, “isn’t _ Victoria _ going with Jess on the tour?” 

“Oh,” Rory’s face falls a little, “I wasn’t even thinking about that,” she shakes her head, hitting pause on looking for the dress for a second, “and honestly, I don’t think I have anything to worry about. Jess has made it pretty clear where he stands about us. Besides, I trust him. And I trust Victoria, too.” 

“I’m really glad to hear that,” Lorelai tells her, with a genuine smile on her face, “You deserve to be happy, Rory. And it’s good that you’ve found that with Jess.” 

“Me too,” Rory nods, smiling back at her mother, “I feel like… I’m the happiest I’ve been in years. And not just because I’m with Jess, but also ‘cause everything seems to have… finally fallen into place, you know?”

Coincidentally, as soon as she says that, Rory ends up finding the dress she was looking for, hidden away in her mother’s enviably full closet. “Also, found it,” she shows it off to Lorelai, trying it on over her clothes, “what do you think?” 

Lorelai’s smile grows wider. “I think that after Jess sees you in that dress, he might give up on the tour altogether.” 

“Maybe, we’ll see,” Rory plays along, “But anyway, where’s Luke? And Ellie?” 

“Soccer practice,” her mother explains, “The diner is still a team sponsor, and we thought it’d be nice for Ellie to try it, and I swear, she’s a natural.” 

“Lorelai Gilmore, _ soccer mom. _Who would’ve thought?” 

“Tease all you want,” Lorelai raises a finger at her, “but when we’re regional champs again, you’ll see.” 

“Guess I will,” Rory then glances at her wristwatch. “I should get going, but I’ll see you soon, okay?” 

“Have fun tonight!” Her mom calls after as she’s on her way to the door. “But not too much fun!” Lorelai adds, and Rory can’t help but laugh. 

“Thanks,” she yells back, already headed downstairs, “I’ll try!” 

* * *

“How early are we?” Jess asks as he and Rory walk in, taking a look around the room, that’s still being set up. “There is no one else here,” he notes, receiving an eye roll from Rory in response. 

“I just wanted to get us some good seats,” she explains, tugging on his arm, them leads him to where the chairs are being placed, “We’ll sit in the middle row, because that way we’re close to the bar,” Rory points out, “and we’re not in the spot to bid, like we would be in the front row.”

“You really thought this through, huh?” Jess lifts an eyebrow at her, and Rory just shrugs. 

“What can I say?” She bites back a smile, “I know this isn’t exactly your kind of thing, so I wanted to make sure we’re in and out of here as soon as possible.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever loved you more,” he smiles back at her, but before he can lean forward to kiss her, they see Paris walking towards them. Jess manages to sneak in a quick peck, before they go over to meet Paris halfway.

“Paris!” Rory beams, then releases her hold on Jess’ arm so she can go in for a hug, “I didn’t know you were going to be here — why didn’t you call me?” 

“And ruin the surprise?” Her friend retorts, “You look good. Great, actually,” Paris notices as a somewhat sly smirk spreads across her face, “You’re practically glowing. _ Exercising _ much?”

“Paris!” Rory hisses, and she’s pretty sure she’s blushing, _ hard. _Paris can’t help but laugh at just how flustered she looks. 

“That wasn’t a no,” Paris croons, before turning to Jess, “Hey there, Mariano,” she says, “long time, no see, huh?” 

“How’s it going, Geller?” 

“Not bad,” she responds, “And from what I’ve heard, you’re not doing too bad either, are you? There’s _ a lot _ of buzz around your new novel.” 

“Where have you heard that?” Jess frowns at her in turn, “The book isn’t even out yet.” 

“Oh, I know people,” Paris shrugs, “Anyway, I’d love to discuss it with you after I get to read it. And your other books, too. I have quite a few thoughts on those.” 

“I didn’t know you’d read my stuff,” Jess furrows his brows at her. 

“Rory recommended them to me over the years,” she explains, and Rory simply steps away when her name comes up, not wanting to take the fall for what’s to come. 

“Your first novel was very good, original, too,” Paris continues, “now, the second and third ones were a little too self-indulgent for my taste, but not completely terrible.” 

“Gee, thanks,” Jess snorts. 

“Let me finish, okay?” Paris rolls her eyes at him, “Your fourth novel, however, was great. I mean, I felt immersed into that 70s rock scene, and that’s not even my thing. My point is, assuming your next one is even nearly as good, I’ll be looking forward to reading it.” 

“Thank you, Paris,” Jess says, as a small, yet genuine smile appears on his face. “That’s…surprisingly nice of you to say.” 

“Are you implying that I’m not always nice?” Paris crosses her arms defensively, “I’ll have you know, I am a fucking delight,” she huffs, “most of the time, anyway.” 

“I wasn’t imp—” 

“Hey, guys,” Rory suddenly intervenes, coming to her boyfriend’s aid, “I saved us seats in the middle row _ and _ at the bar, which,” she then nods over at the bartender, who has just flicked the ‘open’ sign at the bar on, “has just opened.” 

“Oh, thank god,” Jess sighs, sounding only short of desperate, and lets Rory lead the way over to the bar. 

“Hi,” Rory greets the bartender as she sits down at one of the stools, “I’ll have a martini, with an olive and a twist, and these two will each have a glass of your finest scotch.” 

There is no protesting on either one of their ends, which brings a slight smirk to Rory’s face. 

“I can’t believe you actually recommended my books to her,” Jess turns to Rory in a hushed tone, taking a sip of his drink, “Just how many times have you done that?” 

“Too many to count?” She whispers back, with a slight grimace, and he just gapes at her, shaking his head. “What? Am I not allowed to be proud of you?” 

“Of course you are,” he says, “I just didn’t know you did that. You never told me.” 

Rory sips on her martini, giving him a sideways look. “Well, you never asked.” 

Jess lets out a weak chuckle, before he clinks his glass against hers. “_Touché._”

“Hey, Rory,” Paris nudges her arm to get her attention, “I gotta hit the ladies’, can you come with?” 

“Oh, sure,” Rory nods, then turns to Jess before following her to the restroom, “I’ll be back,” she puts a hand to his shoulder, then lets Paris practically drag her away from the bar. 

“You two are sickeningly sweet,” her friend grumbles as they walk into the bathroom, headed towards the mirror above the sink, “have you spent even a day apart since you got together?” 

Rory leans up against one of the stalls. “No, not really,” she responds, “but we’ll have to soon enough, since Jess is going on the tour for his book and everything.” 

“You two will make it,” Paris tells her over her shoulder, before she turns to look at the mirror again, with somewhat of a sad smile, “you’re the kind of couple that makes it.” 

“Paris, what’s wrong?” Rory checks, moving closer to where she’s standing, “You look—” 

“It’s nothing. I’m fine.” 

“Paris,” Rory insists, resting a hand on her shoulder, “seriously, talk to me. Did something happen?” 

Her friend lets out a heavy sigh, then sniffles, trying to keep her eyes from welling up. 

“Doyle and I are divorced,” Paris chokes out, finally, and Rory’s eyes go wide, “It’s official. And it was time, I know it was. We don’t work anymore, but—” her voice falters, “what… what if I can’t find anyone else to love me?” 

“Oh, come here,” Rory pulls her into a tight hug. “It’s going to be fine,” she assures her, wiping away the tears from under her eyes with her thumb, “and when you least expect it, you’ll find someone. Someone great, _ way _ better than Doyle. I promise.” 

Paris manages a weak smile. “You’re just saying that.” 

“I’m really not,” Rory insists. “I believe that, and you should, too. You’re a catch, Geller. Suck it up.” 

“Can we stay here for a while?” Paris glances over at her reflection in the mirror, “I can’t go out there looking like this.” 

“Of course,” Rory says as she walks to the end of the room, then sits down on the floor with her back against the wall. Hesitantly, Paris follows her lead. 

“Here,” Rory fishes a flask out of her purse, and hands it to Paris, who looks at her in disbelief, “just until we can go back out there to take full advantage of the open bar.” 

Paris lets out a small chuckle, before taking a swig from the flask. “You’ve been hanging out with Jess way too much,” she says, handing the flask back to Rory.

“Yeah,” Rory shakes her head, amused, “I know.” 

“Hey,” Paris calls after a little while, “if I tell you something, can you promise you won’t freak or act all weird afterwards?” 

Rory raises an eyebrow at her. “Sure. What is it?” 

Her friend presses her lips together. “I think I might be into women,” Paris tells her, “which is weird, because I’ve always _ felt _ the attraction, but I’ve never… _ acted _ on it. Not romantically, anyway.”

“Well, you did kiss me that one time, when we were on spring break.” 

That makes Paris laugh. “That’s true, although _ not _ what I meant,” she nods, “and I did hook up with this woman at a convention while Doyle and I were separated...” 

“And how was that?” 

“It was…different. Not a bad different, just—” 

“Different.” 

“Yeah.” 

“Wanna know what I think?” Rory takes another swig, before passing Paris the flask again. 

“Please,” Paris gestures at her to proceed.

“I think you got married to your first serious college boyfriend, and you never got to _ explore _ much,” Rory tells her, nudging Paris in the arm, “but now that you’re a free lady, you can try and see what feels right for you.” 

“You’re right,” Paris sighs, feeling like a weight has been lifted from her shoulders, “thank you. And thanks for being so cool about this, it-it means a lot.” 

“Of course,” Rory says, nodding, “I just want you to be happy, Paris.” 

“Thank you. Same goes for you,” Paris smiles, then moves closer so she can rest her head on Rory’s shoulder. “You do seem happy, though.” 

“Yeah, I am,” she lets out a small laugh, “weird, right?” 

“Definitely.”

* * *

“Miss me?” Rory whispers into Jess’ ear when they get back to the bar, startling him. 

“Jesus,” he hisses, putting a hand to his chest. “Make a noise next time, will you?” 

“Sorry,” she raises her hands in mock-surrender, before taking a seat at the stool next to his. “We had a bit of a crisis, but I’d say it was averted.” 

“Good to know,” Jess nods, then signals at the bartender so he’ll freshen up Rory’s drink. “Now, what’s our game plan tonight?” 

Rory takes a long sip of her martini. “What do you mean?” 

“Are we bidding on anything, or will we just sit there and watch? Because I’m okay with either.” 

“I’m not sure,” she tells him, “I don’t even know what they’re auctioning off tonight, actually. There weren’t many details on the invitation.” 

Before Rory can ask Paris if she happens to know what will be auctioned off, she sees Madeline and Louise making their way towards them. “Oh, no.” 

“Paris! Rory!” Madeline exclaims, clasping her hands together, “Oh, I’m so glad you could come!” 

“We’re glad to be here,” Rory smiles at her, elbowing Paris’ arm so she’ll do the same, instead of staring down at the bottom of her practically empty glass, “God, it’s been forever since I last saw the two of you. How’ve you been?” 

“Just great,” Louise tells her, her signature drawl ever so present, “I’m sorry, didn’t you, like, _just _ have a baby?” She gestures vaguely at Rory’s body, “I mean, you look _ amazing. _” 

“Two and a half years ago, but yeah,” she responds, “uh, thank you, though. Guess I’ve had time to get back into shape since then. And you look great, too, of course.” 

“Paris, you’re so quiet,” Madeline notices, looking genuinely concerned, and a little scared, “in all the time I’ve known you, you’ve _ never _ been this quiet. Is everything okay?” 

“Yeah, I’m great,” Paris retorts, finishing whatever’s left of her drink, “just have a bit of a sore throat, is all,” she fakes a cough, and Rory almost envies her for thinking of that excuse first. 

Before the conversation can go on, Jess catches Louise’s eye from the bar. “Now, who is _ that? _ ” She practically purrs, and Rory _ really _ doesn’t like the way she seems to be ripping Jess’ clothes off with her eyes. 

“That’s Jess, my boyfriend,” Rory says, and Paris suppresses a smile, hearing just how _ territorial _ she sounds. _ Nice, _ her friend mouths, and Rory rolls her eyes at her in return.

“Didn’t you date a Jess back in high school, too?” Madeline frowns. 

“Yeah,” she nods, “same guy.” 

“Not bad, Rory,” Louise commends her, then turns to Madeline, “I bet he’d be a huge success at the auction. Definitely one of the best candidates here.” 

“No doubt,” Madeline agrees easily. 

“What are you two babbling about?” Paris demands, looking just as confused as Rory is.

Louise opens her mouth to explain, but before she gets the chance to, someone else waves her and Madeline over to check on something.

“Sorry, we have to go,” Madeline gives them an apologetic look, and Louise does the same. Sort of.

“We’ll see you later!” Louise calls over her shoulder, before the two disappear into the back of the room. 

“I…” Rory struggles to even find words to describe that interaction. “That was something, huh?”

“Welcome to my life with the Banger sisters,” Paris shakes her head, then nods over at the bar. “Drink?” 

“_Please.”_

* * *

After several rounds of drinks, Paris leaves to talk to this couple that happened to hear about her practice, leaving Jess and Rory to fend for themselves at the bar. 

Neither of them are nowhere near sober, but even so, waiting for the mysterious auction to start feels like an eternity. “Do you wanna wander for a bit?” Rory turns to ask him, her chin resting over her closed fist. 

Jess sets his glass down on the bartop. “Let’s go,” he says as he hops off the stool, offering an arm to her, which Rory gladly takes. 

The two walk around the venue, opening doors they’re not allowed to just to see what’s inside, photobombing stranger’s selfies, ‘til they get to the second floor, and come to a stop outside of a staff bathroom. 

Rory reaches for the knob, and as luck would have it, it’s unlocked. She checks to see if there isn’t anyone in there, then grabs Jess’ tie, pulling him into the room with her. 

She pushes him against the door and leans forward to kiss him, _ hard. _ “What are you doing?” He whispers into her ear as her mouth makes its way down to his jaw, and neck. 

“Do you not want to?” She checks as soon as she finally manages to lock the door, after only fidgeting with it for a while. He just kisses her again, deeper this time, and that’s all the answer she needs. 

Jess lifts her up and sets her down on the sink, letting out sharp, heavy breaths in between kisses. 

Her legs are now tied around his hips, pulling him closer, hoping to get rid of any space left between them. Rory moves her hands down from his hair so she can unbuckle his belt, while he continues to focus on this particular spot behind her earlobe, making her gasp in the process.

She pulls him in for a kiss, keeping his mouth on hers as he slowly moves inside her, with his hands pressed tightly to her waist. 

Rory is so caught up in the moment, that it doesn’t even occur to her that someone could walk past and hear them, something that definitely would’ve been a concern to her otherwise. 

They break apart, and he brushes her hair away from her face, before leaning in to kiss her once more, slow and tender. “The auction must be starting,” he says quietly as their foreheads touch, “we should go.” 

“Yeah,” she breathes out, “we should go.” 

They do their best to get their outfits back to their former glory, then check the hallway to see if the coast is clear, so they can get back downstairs. 

When the two return to the bar, Paris is there, too, waiting for them. “Oh, there you are!” She exclaims, “Where have you been? The auction is about to start!” 

“We were—” 

“Your hair is all ruffled,” her friend notices, before Rory can even _ think _ of an excuse, Paris clicks her tongue in mock disapproval, “Way to go, _ Mary,” _ she half-whispers, making Rory turn five different shades of red. 

“_Paris,”_ Rory glares at her, which only makes her laugh. “Don’t say a word,” she tells Paris through gritted teeth, raising a finger at her. 

Their little spat would’ve continued, if it wasn’t for Madeline and Louise showing up out of pretty much thin air, then whisking Jess away against his will. “Hey!” Rory calls after them, “What are you guys doing?” 

But before she can even think to stop them, they’re already up on the stage. “Good evening, everyone,” Madeline says into the microphone, “tonight we will be raising money for…” 

“Underprivileged children,” Louise supplies in what was supposed to be a whisper, but comes out loud enough for anyone to hear. 

“_Underprivileged children,”_ Madeline continues, letting out a slightly nervous laugh, “and for that, we will be auctioning off dates with our finest gentlemen here tonight.” 

“I have to do something,” Rory says, turning to Paris with a panicked look on her face, “what do I do?!” 

“First up, we have _ Jess,”_ Louise announces as she takes over the mic. Jess squints as a spotlight suddenly shines over him. “So let’s start the bid at… a hundred dollars. Who’s game?” 

A sea of numbered paddles rise in the audience. “I think you’ll have to bid on him,” Paris grimaces, then leads her to their seats, so they can join in. 

“Do I hear…three hundred dollars?” Louise continues, and Rory quickly raises her paddle, the one with the number 13 on it. 

“Three-fifty,” a middle aged woman, with shiny, silver hair — bidder number 25 — offers. 

“Five hundred!” 

“Is that…” Rory nearly chokes, “_ Francie? _”

“Oh, no way,” Paris stands up, then raises her paddle, “A thousand!” She offers, and the rest of the audience murmurs. 

“We have a thousand, can we do… twelve hundred dollars?”

“What are you doing?” Rory asks her, and Paris turns to her, as soon as she’s done giving Francie a very menacing look. 

“I’m saving your ass, _ that’s _ what I’m doing,” she retorts and moves to raise her paddle again when Louise asks for fifteen hundred. 

Rory tries to get Jess to look at her, but she’s not sure he can even see her, not with that stupidly bright spotlight hitting his eyes. He did attempt to make a run for it, to no avail, because Louise managed to stop him. If he weren’t so drunk, maybe he would’ve managed to get out of there, but since that’s not the case, all he can do is stand there and hope to God Paris manages to outbid everyone else. 

The final standoff happens between Paris and bidder number 25, who gives up after Paris’ offer of five grand, the highest bid of the evening so far. 

“...and sold, for five thousand dollars, to bidder number 14!” Madeline announces, and a series of disappointed groans follows. 

“Ha, you can all suck it!” Paris stands on top of her chair to gloat, but Rory manages to get her out of there before things get even more out of hand. 

They walk to the side of the stage to meet Jess, whose immediate reaction is to burst out laughing, so much that his stomach hurts. 

“Are you okay?” Rory checks, before pulling him into a hug, and he nods. 

“Oh, I’m fine,” Jess assures her, “Wouldn’t want a repeat on being auctioned off like that, but it wasn’t that bad once Paris stepped in. Also, I can’t believe you stopped at three hundred,” he shakes his head, “is that all I’m worth to you?”

“Look, those women were ruthless!” She counters, “I don’t have that kind of money to bid, and, besides, why pay when I can have you for free?” 

“I guess I should just be glad bidder 25 backed down, or that would’ve been one…_ interesting _ date.” 

“_Interesting?_” Rory scoffs, gaping at him, and he just laughs, moving to put an arm around her. “You’re on thin ice, mister.” 

“You two really are adorable,” Paris notes, looking thoroughly amused. “Makes me even happier to have beat Francie and that bitch, bidder number 25.” 

“Paris, you really didn’t have to do that,” Rory tells her, “I mean… five thousand dollars! That’s a shit ton of money.” 

Her friend waves a dismissive hand at her. “Please, it was nothing,” Paris says, “besides, it’s for charity, right? So fuck it.” 

“What do you say we get out of here and get back to the bar?” Jess suggests. 

“You two go,” Paris tells them in turn, “I think I’ll stick around and antagonize those two,” she then glances over at Francie and bidder 25 in the audience, “a little while longer.” 

“On second thought,” Rory says, “I think I just want to go home. I’ve had…more than enough to drink tonight.” 

“You’re such a lightweight,” Jess teases, and she sticks her tongue out at him. “But yeah, let’s go home.” 

“I’ll see you guys soon,” Paris goes in to hug the two of them, before turning to Jess, “assuming I’m invited to your book release?” 

Jess smiles. “It’s a date,” he says, and Paris just snorts in response, “see what I did there?” 

“You’re hammered,” she tells him, “Go home, Mariano.” 

Rory and Jess say goodbye to Paris again, and then make sure to make a sizable donation on their way out, because Rory claims she’d feel bad if they didn’t. 

They hail themselves a cab, and head back to Stars Hollow. 

Rory ends up falling asleep in the backseat, so Jess takes off his jacket and drapes it over her shoulders, before he carries her inside. 

She stirs a little when he lays her down on the bed, but drifts right back into sleep, feeling completely exhausted. 

He doesn’t have it in him to change, so he just ends up kicking off his shoes and lies down next to Rory, falling asleep not too soon after. 

In the end, that night was a lot more fun that either of them would’ve predicted, and now it’ll serve as kind of a last hurrah before they can start their new life together in Philly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also, if you want, follow me on tumblr @ tayliterati and feel free to send me asks if you have any questions/comments you’d like to send my way!  
see you all in the next one!


	24. The One With Jess' Book

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory and Jess receive an unexpected visit before heading up to New York for the release of Jess' book.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone!! hope it hasn't been too long since the last update!   
this chapter took me a while to put together and ended up slightly longer than i'd anticipated, but i hope it's still a fun read!   
before, though, i'd like to take a second to thank you all for your support of this fic, it means the absolute world to me, truly. anyway, happy reading and please let me know what you think!  
(i'm on tumblr @ tayliterati if you have any questions/comments you'd like to send my way x)   
enjoy!!!

**Mid February**

“You know,” Rory notes as she absentmindedly runs her fingers through Jess’ hair, “I think us deciding to have as much sex as we can before you leave was a great idea.” 

“Genius,” he hums into the curve of her shoulder. His breath tickles her skin as he sighs against her neck, before looking up at her, “so, what do you say? Wanna go again?” 

Rory can’t help but smile. “Really?” She cocks an eyebrow at him, “It’s not like we’ll be breaking any records tonight.” 

“Remind me what our record is again?”  Jess retorts, smirking back at her, and she just rolls her eyes at him in response.

“Five times,” Rory tells him, choosing to indulge him on this one, “on New Year’s Eve. First night we ever spent together.” 

“Mm, respectable.” 

“I think so.” 

“Now, for tonight,” Jess puts on a very serious look, “I suggest we cap it at three. It’s right there in the middle, and is nothing too crazy, so think about that.” 

Rory presses her lips together, pretending to be really mulling over his suggestion, while Jess watches her expectantly. “Okay,” she concedes, finally, with a small chuckle, “three times it is.” 

Jess doesn’t waste any time and moves so he can start kissing her again, but that comes to an abrupt stop when Rory’s phone begins to ring on the bedside table. “Shit,” she breathes, seeing her grandmother’s name flashing on the screen, “it’s Emily. I need to—” 

“It’s well past ten,” he frowns, after glancing at the clock on the table on his side, “what is she even doing up?”

“Guess I’ll find out now,” Rory shrugs as she puts the phone to her ear. “Hey, Grandma,” she says, forcing a somewhat cheery tone, which Jess snorts at. 

“Rory,” Emily’s voice is uncharacteristically calm on the other end of the call, “I’m sorry for ringing you up so late, did I wake you?” 

“Oh, no,” Rory strains a little, trying to get herself to sit up straight, “I-I don’t really tend to go to bed early, so it’s fine.” 

“Good, good,” Rory can almost picture her grandmother nodding as she says that, “tell me, how are things? Are you well?” 

“I’m okay,” she replies then pulls the sheets up to cover herself better, suddenly feeling oddly self-conscious, as if Emily could, somehow, tell Rory is butt-naked under them, “Richie is good, too. We’re…good. Anyway, how are you?” 

“I’m alright, thank you,” her grandma responds, then takes an extra long pause, one Lorelai would call the first sign of danger. “So, your mother tells me you’ve relocated to Philadelphia,” Emily says, and there it is. She would never guilt Rory for not letting her know about the move directly, but that’s still implied there.

Rory covers the speaking end of her phone with her hand, and curses at the ceiling. “ _ Damn it, _ ” she grumbles under her breath, then lets out a deep sigh.

Jess can’t help but burst out laughing, and Rory has to immediately put her hand over his mouth to shut him up. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, Grandma,” she says, trying to sound as genuinely apologetic as possible, “things have been so hectic around here lately, so much that it must’ve completely slipped my mind.” 

“Sounds like a lot to handle,” Emily notes knowingly, “are you sure you don’t need any help? Because I could come down there and give you a hand with Richie while you get settled.” 

“Uh, well, that’s  _ such _ a generous offer but—” 

“Lovely!” her grandmother cuts in, like they’d somehow come to a mutually agreed upon decision in that split second, “Now, do you have a guest bedroom, or should I book myself a suite at the Ritz?” 

“We…we don’t have a guest room, but, uh, the couch is a pullout,” Rory stammers, and Jess desperately urges her to stop talking, looking both terrified  _ and _ concerned. “Although, you shouldn’t sleep on a futon, so you could take my bed, our bed, um—” 

“I’ll just book the room, dear,” Emily says matter-of-factly, “does the day after tomorrow work for you?” 

“Uh…” 

“Rory—” Jess tries, but is immediately shushed by her. 

“Yeah,” she replies, “that works. I-I’ll see you soon, Grandma. Goodnight.” 

“Goodnight, Rory. Sweet dreams,” and that’s the last thing Emily says before the line clicks. 

The two of them just sit there in silence, trying to process what’s just happened, and what they’ve gotten themselves into. “Oh, my god _ , _ ” Rory gasps, in utter and complete disbelief, “was I just tricked into inviting my grandmother here?”

“Yep,” Jess nods, “I did try to stop you, but no such luck there. You were in too deep.” 

“This is exactly what she does,” she tells him, “she gets into your head and…  _ paralyzes _ you with words until you agree with her, and it  _ works! _ ” 

“Any idea how long she’s staying in Philly for?” 

“None,” Rory lets out a huff, then tries to reach for her robe on the floor, “but she’s getting here the day after tomorrow, which is so soon.  _ Too _ soon.” 

She ties on the robe and climbs out of bed, before beginning to pace around the room, doing her best to try and find a bright side to Emily coming to visit. 

“Maybe this won’t be so bad, you know?” Rory decides after a while, and Jess can tell he’s not the one she’s trying to convince, but herself. “With you on the tour and me starting out at the Inquirer, we need an extra set of hands for when Richie’s out of daycare, just until we can hire a nanny.” 

“And hey, your grandmother hasn’t been that bad lately, has she?” Jess reminds her, “I don’t know, maybe she just wants to help, to feel needed, without having an agenda.” 

Rory just shrugs as she sits back down on the edge of the bed. “You really think so?” she asks, turning to him with a weak smile. Jess sits up, and takes one of her hands into his.

“Yeah,” he assures her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, “I’m sure it’ll be okay.” 

“I hope so,” Rory lets out yet another sigh. She then lies down again, settling into Jess’ arms as he wraps them around her, holding her close. 

“So...” he says after a while, “what now?”

Rory turns her head to look at him, sucking in her bottom lip. “Is it okay if we just go to sleep?” She reaches out a hand to touch his face, stroking it gently with her thumb, “I think that phone call took any energy I had left.”

“Of course,” Jess gives her a kiss on the cheek, lingering for a second, “let’s just go to sleep,” he tells her, his voice soft. 

“Twice is still pretty good, right?” Rory whispers, and Jess lets out a small chuckle. 

“Yep,” he agrees, “still pretty good.”

Rory turns off the lamp on the bedside table and closes her eyes, allowing herself to just... take in that moment, to take  _ him  _ in and commit what it feels like to have his arms around her to memory.

Three weeks is not that long, Rory knows that, but it still doesn’t mean she’ll miss him any less when he’s gone. 

* * *

Friday morning, Rory drives to pick her grandmother up from the airport. She pulls up and waves when she sees Emily walking towards the car, wheeling a tall suitcase alongside her. 

Emily slides her expensive-looking sunglasses to the top of her head and waves back, quickening her pace before she gets into the passenger seat. “Rory!” she coos, immediately going in for a hug. “Oh, look at you! You look beautiful!” 

“Thanks, Grandma,” she smiles as they pull away, then puts the car in reverse so they can leave, “you look great, too. I take it the flight wasn’t too bad?” 

“It was lovely, actually,” Emily grins, getting around to fastening her seatbelt. “I sat next to the nicest gentleman, and guess what?” 

Rory furrows a brow at her, unsure of where this is going. “What?” 

“He has a grandson around your age, and he graduated from Yale a year before you did,” her grandmother reveals, sounding beyond thrilled with that particular discovery, “so you missed each other then, but—” 

“ _ Grandma, _ ” Rory cuts in, doing her best not to sound  _ too _ annoyed, “I don’t need to be set up. I’m with Jess, remember?”

“Who said anything about a set-up?” Emily retorts simply, “I simply thought you could use a friend. It’s always nice to meet new people.”

“I guess,” Rory gives her a halfhearted shrug in turn, “now, do you want me to drive you to the hotel or…” 

“No, actually, I would like to see where you live first,” her grandma says, then raises an eyebrow at her, “that’s not a problem, is it?”

Rory takes a deep breath then exhales slowly, before turning to Emily with a smile. “No,” she tells her, “not a problem at all.” 

Despite traffic, they make it to the apartment in about twenty minutes. Emily steps out of the car and eyes the building warily, but doesn’t say anything.  _ At least she’s making an effort, _ Rory thinks to herself, then leads the way into the complex. 

“Hey, Phil,” she greets the doorman at the front desk, making him look up from his phone for a second, “how’s it going?” 

“Rory, hey,” Phil smiles back at her, then turns to greet Emily with a nod, seeming to be intimidated by her presence alone. “Ma’am.” 

“Hello,” her grandmother says, with a curious look in her eye, before the two of them head towards the elevator. 

The ride is silent and Emily only speaks when the metallic doors slide open and they hop out. “That man seems nice,” she notes, “Phil, I mean.” 

That brings a smile to Rory’s face. “Yeah,” she agrees easily, bowing her head a little, “he’s really sweet. Ton of kids. Adorable, all of them.” 

Her grandmother smiles too. “I’ll ask for pictures next time, then.” 

They walk down the hall till they’re outside the apartment, and before Rory can look for her keys, the front door swings open. “Hey—” Jess begins to say, but nearly chokes at the sight of Emily, since they were only supposed to meet with her for lunch later. 

Rory stands behind her grandmother’s back and waves her hands around desperately to tell Jess to wipe the gobsmacked look from his face, so he does and replaces it with a big grin. It looks too stiff and Rory has to gesture at him to tone it down, but he doesn’t seem to get the memo this time. In his defense, though, her mimicking skills do need some serious work. 

“Mrs. Gilmore,” he extends a hand for Emily to shake, but even that comes off weird. “Uh, great to see you. Come in, please.” 

Emily shakes his hand, unfazed by just how flustered he is, and Rory swears she even  _ smiles _ at him for a split second. “Hello, Jess,” her grandmother says as she walks into the apartment, “you look well.” 

He decides not to say anything else, and simply bows his head a little in response to the compliment. 

Rory then pulls Jess aside, so they’re out of earshot. “What is going on here?” she hisses, tugging at one of his sleeves, “You are acting  _ so _ weird.” 

“I’m sorry, it’s not my fault you brought your grandmother here without any warning,” he retorts, matching her tone. 

“She  _ asked _ to come here,” Rory tells him, “what was I supposed to do? Say no?” 

Jess lets out a sigh. “I had it all figured out,” he says, “I was going to go to that lunch and wear my blue shirt, you know, the one you like—” 

“That  _ is _ a good shirt.” 

“—and I was going to make a damn good first impression, but instead, I looked like a complete moron.” 

Rory moves to cup his face with her hand. “Well,” she shrugs, “not a  _ complete _ moron—” 

“Gee, thanks.” 

“Just tone it down, okay? Plus,” she lets out a slight chuckle, “it’s not like you never met her before, and, as far as I’m concerned, she even likes you now. So… relax, man.”

“Is everything alright?” Emily calls their attention back to her after she’s finished looking around the apartment. 

“Yeah,” Rory responds, a little too quickly, “everything’s great.” 

“Good,” her grandmother says, still sounding a bit skeptical. “Now,” she clasps her hands together, “where is that great-grandson of mine?” 

“He’s in his room,” Jess takes the turn to reply, “talking to Logan on FaceTime.” 

Emily frowns at him. “FaceTime?”

“It’s like a video call,” Rory explains, “they’ve been doing those quite a bit lately, although Richie usually can’t sit through even five minutes of them.” 

“I thought I’d heard a woman’s voice in there just now, though,” her grandma points out, with the slight raise of an eyebrow. 

“Oh,” Rory sucks in her bottom lip, trying to find a way to break the news to Emily, “that…that must be Logan’s girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend?” Emily’s eyes widen for a second, “I didn’t know Logan was seeing anyone. Is this recent?”

“Well, how would you know?” Rory lets out a weak chuckle, “It’s not like you keep in touch or anything.” 

Then, a slightly concerned look dawns on her face. “You don’t, do you?” 

“Sometimes,” Emily reveals, matter-of-factly, “I mean, he  _ is _ part of this family, isn’t he? So I do check in with him every once in a while, yes.” 

This shouldn’t be a big deal, Rory is aware of that, but why does the mere thought of Logan casually chatting with her grandmother make her queasy? 

Rory allows herself a wry smile as she crosses her arms over her chest. “I’m just…  _ surprised _ I didn’t know about this.” 

“It was never meant to be a secret, dear,” her grandmother tells her, “I assumed Logan would’ve told you about us keeping in touch.” 

“Yeah,” the smile on her face tightens, “but you don’t know him all that well, do you?” 

Emily relents. “I guess I don’t,” she says, shrugging. “Now, who is this mysterious girlfriend of his? Have you met this woman?” 

“His therapist,” Rory responds, “and not exactly. We were introduced on FaceTime, but I don’t know if that counts.” 

“His  _ what? _ ” The look on Emily’s face is absolutely  _ priceless.  _ Jess struggles not to laugh at her reaction, but it’s harder than he thought. 

“Sorry,  _ former _ therapist,” Rory corrects herself, “he had to stop seeing her as a patient, or she would lose her license.” 

At this point, her grandmother looks like she’s two seconds away from fainting. “You’re not serious, are you?” Emily turns to Rory, who just gives her a shrug in response. “Oh, dear lord.” 

“Well,” Jess prompts, “the good news is that she’s not his therapist  _ anymore. _ Now that’s just a cute story someone will tell at their wedding.” 

Rory waits for her grandma to scold him, but it never comes. Instead, she lets out a warm, genuine laugh. “The wedding!” Emily practically wheezes at this point, “That’s a good one.” 

“It’s not  _ that _ far off,” Rory points out, “they seem to be pretty serious to me, despite, y’know, the problematic power dynamic.” 

“ _ Please, _ ” her grandmother snorts. “Logan is not going to marry his therapist. Mitchum would never allow it.” 

“Does he really need his daddy’s permission, though?” 

“As long as he’s a Huntzberger,” Emily tells her, now with a more serious look on her face, “ _ yes. _ ”

Before Rory can argue any further, Richie calls for her from the other room. “Mom!” 

She sighs. “I’ll be right back,” Rory says to her grandmother, then leaves to go check on her son, leaving Jess alone in the room with Emily. 

“So, Jess,” Emily turns to him, “I hear your…novel is being released tomorrow?” 

“Yeah,” he responds, a bit more relaxed now, “I’ll head up to New York for a reading in the morning, and later there’ll be a release party, of sorts.” 

“Of sorts?” 

“It’s more of a get-together, really,” Jess clarifies as he buries his hands deep into his pockets, “nothing big, or fancy.” 

“I see,” the matriarch nods thoughtfully. “Well, congratulations. It’s a big accomplishment.” 

“Thank you, ma’am,” he says with a small smile, which Emily returns. 

“Okay, we’re back,” Rory exclaims as she walks back into the living room with Richie in her arms, before putting him down. “Go say hi to Nana. Go on,” she urges him, giving him a tap on the shoulder. 

“There’s my favorite boy!” Emily coos as she crouches down to give Richie a tight hug. 

“Everything okay around here?” Rory checks, elbowing Jess on the side, “you don’t look like you might throw up or anything.” 

“Everything’s fine,” he tells her and Rory gives him a look. “I mean it,” Jess insists, “she just congratulated me on the book, and that was it.” 

Rory grins. “Seems like we’re making progress.” 

“Guess you could say that,” Jess nods, with a slight smirk, “I’m gonna finish getting ready,” he says, gesturing towards their bedroom. “I’ll be right back.” 

She gives Jess a quick peck on the lips before he leaves the room, then follows as Emily moves over to the couch with Richie, taking a seat next to them. 

“So,” her grandmother says, a knowing smile on her face, “that’s quite a life you’ve made for yourself here.” 

Emily’s unexpected approval of her life choices definitely takes Rory by surprise. “Uh, I have no complaints,” she manages after getting past the momentary shock. “I really am happy, Grandma.” 

“I can see that,” Emily tells her. “You have that…spark in your eye again. I’d missed it.” 

Rory swallows, blinking back tears. It’s hard for her not to get a little choked up there, considering one of her worst fears has always been disappointing the people in her life. First her mom, then her grandparents, so it’s good to get this sort of… stamp of approval from her grandmother. 

“Thanks,” she manages, after a beat, “I’d missed it, too.” 

Emily takes one of her hands into her own and squeezes it gently. “Now,” she raises an eyebrow at Rory, “when is Jess planning to make an honest woman out of you?” 

There it is, the million-dollar question. Rory can’t say she hasn’t thought about this on occasion, but right now, getting married is the last thing on her mind. 

She likes what they have now, so there’s no need to rush into anything. Rory knows that Jess is the one for her, and that’s all that matters. 

“Oh, I don’t know,” she says, “That’s not really in our plans right now. Someday, sure, but—” 

In the other room, however, Jess can’t help but overhear the conversation, and Rory’s response. He opens his sock drawer, where he’s been keeping his grandmother’s ring for the past few months, and takes it out. 

Jess opens the small, velvety box, and looks down at the ring. Ever since he and Rory got together, he’s carried it around with him in his pocket, looking for the right time, if there even is such a thing.

Except now, he realizes that he may have been rushing into things, but it’s hard not to, since, whether he knew it or not, he has wanted to marry Rory from the second he first laid eyes on her. 

This is how it’s always been with them, though. He’s impulsive, she’s careful, which works, because they balance each other out that way. 

Jess knows they’re on the same page and again, they have time.  _ Rest of our lives, _ he can almost hear his words being repeated back to him in his mind. 

He meant what he said then — as long as Rory will have him, he doesn’t plan on going anywhere for a while. 

He puts the ring back, burying it deep inside the drawer, and hopes to save it for someday, when it’s right. 

* * *

“I promise he won’t give you too much trouble, Grandma,” Rory says to her grandmother as she’s on her way to the door, “and if you need to know anything,  _ please _ call, okay?” 

“I will,” Emily assures her, “now go, your cab is outside, and you don’t want to be late for the reading!”

“Okay, I’m going!” She exclaims, then gives her grandmother a quick hug before hurrying out of the apartment. “Bye!” 

Jess left for New York the night before so could get to the bookstore early for the reading, and Rory agreed she would meet him there the next day, after her grandmother came over to look after Richie for her. 

Everything about this is very exciting, especially since she still hasn’t had the chance to read his book yet. Jess insisted that she should wait for the release like everyone else, despite her protesting, and eventually, Rory gave in to that insane idea of his. 

The cab ride to the airport is fairly quick, and Rory sends Jess a text to let him know she’s on her way before getting on the plane. 

Then, a couple of hours later, the plane lands at JFK and Rory does her best to leave the airport and head to the reading as fast as humanly possible, since she’s already cutting it pretty close. 

Rory hates being late, and would hate herself even more if she didn’t get to the bookstore in time, but thankfully, that doesn’t happen. 

“Rory!” Victoria is the one who greets her when she walks through the front doors. “Come, come, I saved you a seat in the first row,” the blonde takes her by the hand and shows her to her seat, since the reading is just about to start. 

Jess steps into the stage and his face immediately lights up when he sees her sitting there. She flashes him a big, reassuring smile, and with a deep breath, he introduces himself to the audience, and begins to read the first chapter of the book. 

As soon as he’s done, a round of applause follows, and Rory feels unbelievably proud of him. She’s always known he was capable of greatness, but this book is by far his best work. His words are just that,  _ his _ , which makes the story itself all the more personal and heartfelt. 

After Jess has gotten around to greeting some of the people in the audience and answered a few questions, Rory manages to make her way to him and before she can even say anything, he pulls her into his arms, lifting her feet off the ground and she smiles even more. 

“You were so great!” She tells him, beaming, “I’m gonna need a copy of the book now so I can start reading it,  _ immediately. _ ” 

“Way ahead of you,” Jess grabs the copy he used for the reading from the podium and hands it to her. “It’s yours.” 

She flips through the pages and as she does, the same warm feeling from when he came by to show her his first novel comes rushing back, like no time had passed at all. 

“I’m very proud of you,” Rory tells him, holding the book up against her chest, “you know that, right?” 

Jess ducks his head a little, avoiding her gaze, a result of him being incapable of taking a compliment, but there’s still the hint of a smile on his face. “Yeah,” his eyes meet hers again, “I know.” 

Rory is about to lean up to kiss him when someone clears their throat behind them, prompting her to pull away, ever-so-slightly. 

“I’m so sorry to interrupt, guys,” Victoria says with a grimace, “but there’s some people who want to have their copies signed, and we’re kind of on a tight schedule—” 

“It’s okay,” Rory assures her before turning to Jess again. “Go, your fans are waiting. I’ll just sit over there and read.” 

He gives her a kiss on the cheek then follows Victoria to a spot near the several aisles, where a group of teenagers are eagerly waiting to have their books signed. 

Rory goes back to her seat and just starts reading, tuning out everything else around her so she can focus only on the book. 

“Ready to go?” Jess calls, putting a hand on her shoulder, which startles Rory a little.

She quickly gets over the scare, though, seeing that she doesn’t even look up from the page she’s on. 

“Just let me finish this one line…” Rory says as she fishes her emergency bookmark out of her purse, placing it inside the book before she closes it. “Done. We can go now.” 

Jess stops when he notices just how much of the novel she’s managed to read in only one sitting. “How many chapters did you read?” He asks, a little surprised. 

Of course he had seen Rory practically devour books many times before, but he never thought that would be the case with one  _ he _ wrote. 

“Like… five?” She half-shrugs. “I’m planning on finishing it before the party tonight, so we better head to your hotel now.” 

“Well, the party starts at eight,” he tries to remind her, but Rory remains unfazed. 

“What, you don’t think I can do it?” she shakes her head, feigning deep offense. “You underestimate me, Mariano.” 

“I’m not questioning your skills, Ror, but I think there might be somewhat of a time issue there.” 

“Still,” Rory insists, “I’m gonna do it. You’ll see.” 

Jess raises his hands up in mock-surrender, choosing not to argue. 

They wave at Victoria on their way out to say goodbye, since she’s busy talking with the store manager and she waves back with a small smile. 

On the entire cab ride to the hotel, Rory continues to read as much of the book as she can, and only looks up from it when the car stops. 

They slide out of the taxi, and once they step onto the sidewalk, she resumes her reading, but ends up almost walking face first into the glass doors. “Okay, that’s enough,” Jess says as he takes the book from her hands, deciding it’s time he cuts her off for a bit.

“Hey!” She whines, attempting to get the book back from him. “That is  _ not _ fair!” 

“I’ll give it back when it’s safe,” he retorts, and Rory huffs in response.

“ _ Fine, _ ” Rory concedes, fighting back a smile as she loops her arm around his before they walk into the hotel. 

* * *

After they get to the room, Rory takes off her coat, kicks off her boots, then settles into the king-sized bed so she can continue to read. 

Jess, on the other hand, is afraid he’ll drive himself insane if he keeps watching her as she reads, since the look on her face remains pretty much inscrutable the entire time. 

He won’t tell her this, because he’d never put this kind of weight on her shoulders, but to him, the only opinion that truly matters is hers. 

Jess wouldn’t want her to feel forced to love or even like it, but he hopes she does, anyway. After all… it’s all about her, and them. 

That may not have been the plan initially, but as the plot started to come together, it became too hard to ignore how this story paralleled theirs, so Jess decided to work with that, instead of fighting it instead. 

He has always made sure to make his works as real and human as possible, but he had never poured so much of his experiences into his writing before, not like this, which could go either way with the media and the critics.

With Rory, though… Jess just hopes it gives her some insight on everything he’s felt in these past years but wasn’t able to put into words. Until now.

* * *

By the time Rory is done reading, there are tears streaming down her face.

This book exceeded her expectations beyond her wildest dreams, and something she really didn’t see coming, was it being a love letter to her. It is, by far, the most incredibly romantic thing anyone has ever done for her. 

“Oh, God,” Jess stops as he walks out of the bathroom and finds her looking like a complete mess, “you hate it,” he says, and for a second there, he looks like he might be going to be sick. 

“No, no,” Rory tells him, doing her best to pull herself together. “Jess… I love it. I can’t even begin to describe how much.” 

He sighs in relief, rubbing a hand over his face. “Ah,” he lets out a chuckle before he sits down next to her on the bed, “you just… scared the shit out of me.”

“Sorry,” Rory manages a smile as she lets him pull her into a hug. “I’m overwhelmed and positively stunned, but I promise you,” she assures him, looking deep into his eyes, “I love it. So, so much.” 

“Really?” Jess doesn’t sound unconvinced, but surprised. 

“Yes, really,” Rory nods, then leans in to kiss him, cupping his face with her hands. “And I love you,” she whispers softly. 

Jess gives her one of his rare smiles. “I love you, too,” he says, in the same quiet tone, before kissing her again. 

“I should go get ready,” Rory sniffles, wiping the tear stains from under her eyes as they break apart. “Don’t wanna make us late for your party.” 

“The party can wait,” Jess tells her, still not quite ready to let her go. “In fact, let’s just stay here,” he suggests and Rory can’t tell if he’s being serious or not, “what do you say?” 

A small, selfish part of her  _ really _ wishes they could simply ditch the party and enjoy their last night together before Jess leaves for the tour on their own, but even so, Rory knows better. 

“We’re going,” she decides, raising a finger at him before he can even open his mouth to protest, “end of story.” 

“Alright,” Jess gives in, “but can we at least leave early?” 

Rory just gives him a look in return. “We’ll see.” 

* * *

The party is held at the Simon and Schuster headquarters, and it’s a lot bigger than Jess expected. “Wow,” is the only thing he can think to say as he and Rory walk into the room. She tugs on his arm excitedly, then the two walk over to talk to Luke and Lorelai, who are standing next to the food table. 

“There he is!” His uncle exclaims, with what Lorelai had coined his ‘super proud’ look on his face. “The man of the hour.” 

“Hey, Luke,” Jess smiles, going in for a hug. “Glad you guys could make it, it means a lot.” 

“Of course we came!” Lorelai tells him, and it’s her turn to hug him, which is still kind of unexpected coming from her, but appreciated, nonetheless. “We would not miss this for the world.” 

“This is  _ really _ great,” Rory notes, taking a look around the room. “So much for a small get together, huh?” 

“Yeah,” Jess lets out a sigh and it’s hard for him not to sound a bit nervous, “a little nerve-wracking, too. I mean, I don’t know half of these people.” 

“Well,” Lorelai prompts, popping another shrimp into her mouth, “they seem to know  _ you _ , though.” 

Rory glances at the entrance and sees Paris walking in, so she waves her over to where they’re standing. 

“You know,” Paris says, turning to Jess, “I almost thought I was at the wrong place. Looks like you’ve made it to the big leagues, Mariano.” 

He clutches his chest. “Ouch,” Jess winces, feigning offense, “don’t sound too surprised there, Geller.” 

“Oh, I’m not surprised,” she plays along, “in fact, it took you long enough to get here.” 

“So that’s how we’re gonna do this?” Jess lets out a chuckle, shaking his head, “Okay, then.” 

“There you are!” Victoria calls as she approaches the group. “Oh, hey everyone,” her face falls a little, when noticing half the people in Jess’ life are also there, “I didn’t mean to sound so bossy there, I promise.”

Jess rolls his eyes at her, without any heat. “You did, too.” 

“Okay,” Victoria concedes, shrugging, “maybe a little. But still, I was looking for you, ‘cause there’s some people you should meet.” 

“Who’s that again?” Paris asks Rory, not that discreetly. Her friend grimaces slightly in turn. 

“That’s Victoria,” Rory responds, “Jess’... editor.” 

That name does sound familiar, but it takes Paris a second to fully connect the dots. She then moves to introduce herself to Victoria. 

“Hey,” she puts on a smile, extending a hand for her to shake, “I’m Paris, Paris Geller. And you must be the one who was a total bitch to  _ my _ best friend on her  _ birthday. _ ” 

“Paris!” Rory hisses, and her cheeks flush. 

Much to her surprise, though, Victoria looks more amused than anything else. “I think I deserve that,” she nods as she firmly shakes Paris’ hand, “not one of my finest moments, I agree, but I’d say we’re past that now.” 

Luke and Lorelai decide not to get involved, and turn their attention back to the truly amazing food spread behind them. 

“If you say so,” Paris’ smile tightens, and she doesn’t sound very convinced. “Now, where can one get a drink around here?” 

“There’s a bar over there,” Victoria tells her, pointing in that direction. “Knock yourself out.” 

“Great. Thanks.” 

“Sure.”

“So,” Jess clasps his hands together as he turns to Victoria, hoping to put an end to that oddly heated and passive-aggressive exchange, “you said there were people you wanted me to meet?” 

“Right,” she responds, “we should go do that, then.” 

“You okay to stay here?” Jess checks with Rory, and she nods in response, holding an empanada just inches away from her mouth. 

“Yeah, I’ve got company,” she tells him, then steps closer to give him a kiss on the cheek, “Go.” 

He smiles at her and lets Victoria lead the way. Rory just watches as the two disappear into the crowd, before turning to Paris. “What is the matter with you?” 

“What’s the matter with  _ me? _ ” Her friend snaps. “I was defending you!” 

“I can fend for myself, thank you,” Rory retorts, stuffing the empanada into her mouth, “and you don’t need to protect me from Victoria, we’re friends!” 

“Really?” Paris raises a brow at her, unconvinced. “How can you possibly be friends with your boyfriend’s ex?” 

“It’s not that hard, actually,” she insists, “Victoria is a good person, and if you got to know her, I think you two would really hit it off.” 

“I highly doubt that.” 

“ _ Paris. _ ” 

“Whatever,” Paris practically snorts, “Let’s go get a drink, my mouth is all dry.” 

Rory shakes her head. “ _ Fine,”  _ she concedes, “lead the way,” 

They head over to the bar, and when she orders a club soda instead of a cocktail, Paris narrows her eyes at her. “You’re not drinking?” 

“Not tonight, no,” Rory replies, taking a sip of her drink, “why?”

“Oh, my god,” Paris’ jaw suddenly drops, “I don’t believe this. You’re  _ pregnant _ _?_” 

“I am  _ not _ pregnant!” She tells her, bewildered. “Just because I’m  _ choosing _ not to drink tonight, that does not mean I’m pregnant!” 

Paris doesn’t seem to buy that, though. “Then you at least  _ think _ you’re pregnant,” she says with a half-shrug. “How long have you been late?” 

Rory sets her drink down on the bartop in frustration. “Paris,” she tells her,  _ very _ slowly, “I am not late, and I am not pregnant, so please, drop it.”

“Hey, guys,” Lorelai approaches, grinning, “I can’t believe you ditched us already! What’s going on over here?” 

“Rory might be pregnant,” Paris responds, sipping on her martini, and Lorelai’s eyes widen. 

“Excuse me,  _ what? _ ” 

“I am not pregnant!” Rory protests, then turns to her mother, “ _ Please _ , don’t listen to her.” 

“Sounds like someone is in denial,” her friend croons, and that’s when Rory realizes she’s only messing with her now. 

“Wait, I’m still confused,” Lorelai frowns, “are you pregnant? Are you  _ not _ pregnant? What’s the deal, babe?”

“Okay,” Rory takes a deep breath, then puts on a smile that could easily be considered reason for concern, “for the last time, I am  _ not _ pregnant. I also am  _ not _ with child, there is  _ no _ bun in this oven, and no roast on slow cook either, alright?” 

“Jeez, fine,” her mother says, “you’re not pregnant. We get it.” 

“Exactly, thank you!” Rory exclaims, finally managing to ease up a little. “Now, where’s Ellie? You could’ve brought her.” 

“She’s in the Hollow,” Lorelai tells her, “Lulu and Kirk offered to look after her for the evening, and after they gave me this whole talk about how they’re having trouble conceiving, I just couldn’t say no.” 

Paris doesn’t even take a beat before getting her card out of her purse so she can hand it to Lorelai. “Here,” she says, “tell them the solution to all their problems is right there on that card.” 

“Right,” Lorelai responds, “I’ll do that.” 

“Hey guys,” Luke calls, nodding over at the small stage near the center of the room, “I think Jess is about to give some kind of speech, so we should head over there.” 

They all walk over to the area surrounding the stage, and after Victoria introduces him, Jess walks into stage and is welcomed with a great hand of applause. 

“Hey, everyone,” he clears his throat a bit nervously. “Thank you for coming out tonight, and for your support. Hope you’re having a good time, and uh, don’t forget to grab a copy of  _ The Wreck of Our Hearts _ on your way out.” 

Another round of applause follows, and Jess quickly exits the stage, like couldn’t wait to get out of there. Again, he’s never really enjoyed being the center of attention. 

“That was a really nice speech,” Rory tells him as he returns to the group, and Jess snorts. 

“Thanks, Ror,” he puts an arm around her, giving her a half-smile, “but I think you might be a bit biased there, though.” 

“Oh, come on!” She insists, “It was polite and straight to the point, there’s nothing wrong with that.” 

“I don’t know about that,” a familiar voice says, and when they turn to see just who it belongs to, the two find Matthew standing right behind them. “I thought it lacked a bit of energy.” 

“What are you doing here?” Jess exclaims as he moves over to give his friend a hug. “Didn’t you say you’d be stuck at Truncheon tonight?

“Oh, I lied,” Matthew says simply, “‘cause we wanted to surprise you.” 

“We?” 

“Yes,  _ we, _ ” Chris confirms as he suddenly shows up, only adding to Jess’ surprise. “What, you thought we’d miss your big night? Not a chance.” 

“Who are these two?” Lorelai turns to ask Rory, who laughs in turn. 

“Jess’ friends,” she replies, “Matthew and Chris.” 

Her mother gasps. “Jess has  _ friends _ ?” 

“Mom!” 

“Relax, I’m kidding!” 

After that, they all talk, mingle, and take turns to tell Jess how proud they are of him. He still isn’t great at the whole taking compliments thing, but appreciates all of it, anyway. 

It’s around half past one when Rory and Jess leave. He has a long day ahead of him, so they get around to saying their goodbyes and head back to the hotel. 

* * *

“I’m going to miss this,” Rory says quietly as she lays her head down on Jess’ chest, their hands still intertwined. 

“Yeah.” He kisses the top of her head, then tucks a strand of loose hair behind her ear. “Me, too.” 

“Do you know how long you’ll be gone for yet?” She asks, hoping that he’ll say just the two weeks they’ve been preparing for, but deep down, Rory knows that won’t be the case. 

“Initially, two weeks,” Jess tells her, “but you know that can still change at a moment’s notice.” 

They fall silent for a beat. “I’m aware of how wrong and selfish this sounds,” Rory lets out a weak chuckle, “but I kind of wish you didn’t have to go.” 

He smiles. “I kind of wish I didn’t have to go, either,” Jess sighs, running a hand through her hair, “but…” 

She smiles back at him. “I know.” 

“We’ll be okay, though, right?” 

“Yeah,” Rory assures him, “we’ll be just fine.” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for reading, see you all in the next one!!


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